Communication and Media Studies
Offered at 1,751 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 92 | — | $47,957 | $19,581 |
| Associate | 250 | $30,638 | $47,074 | $12,063 |
| Bachelor's | 1,036 | $42,087 | $57,294 | $22,584 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 2 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 263 | $56,486 | $74,192 | — |
| Doctoral | 75 | — | $82,446 | — |
| Graduate certificate | 33 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $30,638, versus $42,087 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $54,433 | $70,439 | $25,898 |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | — | $66,635 | — |
| 3 | Eastern Washington University | WA | — | $54,341 | — |
| 4 | North Idaho College | ID | — | $48,872 | — |
| 5 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $47,043 | — |
| 6 | Reedley College | CA | — | $41,698 | — |
| 7 | Full Sail University | FL | $32,548 | $38,503 | $19,662 |
| 8 | Modesto Junior College | CA | — | $37,870 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of San Mateo | CA | — | $71,711 | — |
| 2 | De Anza College | CA | — | $65,185 | — |
| 3 | San Diego City College | CA | — | $62,728 | — |
| 4 | Canada College | CA | — | $62,719 | — |
| 5 | Gavilan College | CA | — | $62,009 | — |
| 6 | West Valley College | CA | — | $60,676 | — |
| 7 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | — | $60,523 | — |
| 8 | Saddleback College | CA | — | $60,280 | — |
| 9 | Long Beach City College | CA | — | $57,177 | — |
| 10 | Citrus College | CA | — | $56,226 | — |
| 11 | Sacramento City College | CA | — | $55,584 | — |
| 12 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $55,514 | — |
| 13 | Salt Lake Community College | UT | — | $55,510 | — |
| 14 | County College of Morris | NJ | — | $54,597 | — |
| 15 | Santa Rosa Junior College | CA | — | $53,153 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $65,287 | $112,568 | — |
| 2 | Boston College | MA | $56,442 | $98,503 | $19,000 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University | CA | $62,295 | $97,296 | $19,500 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $52,119 | $95,154 | $11,000 |
| 5 | Cornell University | NY | $63,499 | $94,133 | $9,125 |
| 6 | Northwestern University | IL | $64,034 | $93,752 | $20,500 |
| 7 | American University | DC | $56,275 | $89,008 | — |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $55,475 | $88,957 | $21,116 |
| 9 | Boston University | MA | $54,804 | $88,717 | $21,000 |
| 10 | George Washington University | DC | $54,206 | $87,758 | — |
| 11 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $85,527 | $9,745 |
| 12 | Fairfield University | CT | $50,903 | $85,495 | $26,980 |
| 13 | Villanova University | PA | $57,318 | $85,246 | $21,750 |
| 14 | University of Southern California | CA | $57,017 | $85,197 | $16,875 |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara | CA | $51,428 | $83,810 | $12,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $85,775 | — | $20,125 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $93,048 | $142,835 | — |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $82,189 | $109,220 | — |
| 3 | Northeastern University | MA | — | $106,845 | — |
| 4 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | — | $106,845 | — |
| 5 | Northwestern University | IL | $88,413 | $103,912 | — |
| 6 | American University | DC | $72,279 | $103,646 | — |
| 7 | University of Southern California | CA | $71,664 | $101,599 | — |
| 8 | Seton Hall University | NJ | — | $98,300 | — |
| 9 | San Diego State University | CA | $68,720 | $93,914 | — |
| 10 | University of Denver | CO | $54,319 | $91,320 | — |
| 11 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $76,161 | $88,476 | — |
| 12 | Lasell University | MA | $64,184 | $88,041 | — |
| 13 | University of Hartford | CT | — | $87,020 | — |
| 14 | Weber State University | UT | $63,617 | $86,129 | — |
| 15 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | $58,593 | $85,182 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regent University | VA | $65,002 | $105,733 | — |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | — | $89,233 | — |
| 3 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | — | $75,660 | — |
| 4 | University of Missouri-Columbia | MO | — | $70,534 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | — | $82,670 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do communication and media studies graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in communication and media studies reports median earnings of $42,087. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
