Harrisburg Area Community College: Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other

Associate's degree · CIP 09.99 · All credentials fully online · Harrisburg, PA

Graduates of this program who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $35,135 one year after completing and $39,729 four years after. The median federal loan debt of graduates was $17,458. Nationally, graduates of associate's degree programs in this field earned a median of $33,772 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
$35,135
21 graduates measured Verified data
Median earnings, 4 years
$39,729
Verified data
Median federal debt
$17,458
34 borrowers Verified data
Debt to first-year earnings
0.50x
median debt / median earnings Calculated estimate

This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completion$35,135$33,772
Median earnings 4 years after completion$39,729$37,650
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)$17,458$17,458 Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)$198
Graduates in the most recent year2270 across 13 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

OccupationMedian wage, all workersChange 2025 to 2035
Communications teachers, postsecondary$78,580+2.1%
Editors$77,920-1.1%
Writers and authors$76,910-0.3%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

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Harrisburg Area Community College Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other (Associate's degree): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence