Communication and Media Studies

50,978 students earn a communication and media studies credential each year across 1,284 US colleges. Earnings below are the median for each school's graduates one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at completion.

Typical earnings, 1 year out: $34,772
Typical earnings, 5 years out: $52,757

Filter the college directory to schools offering this major →

Rank colleges by

Most graduates Highest earnings

Bachelor's programs — top 100 of 1,046 colleges by graduates

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1California State University-FullertonFullerton, California647$34,1201 year out$60,920$13,000 2University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California620$46,5981 year out$73,857$13,018 3University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina521$43,3481 year out$67,532$15,500 4Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, Ohio478$41,2321 year out$63,099$23,500 5Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale, Arizona468$44,5711 year out$62,225$22,500 6James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia413$42,7691 year out$66,067$21,502 7California State University-SacramentoSacramento, California400$39,3041 year out$63,101$15,000 8Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana381$36,7001 year out$63,211$21,500 9Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas374$43,2951 year out$62,316$17,782 10Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan348$36,3901 year out$66,407$26,750 11Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona346$44,5711 year out$62,225$22,500 12California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, California332$34,1721 year out$58,497$13,953 13University at BuffaloBuffalo, New York330$39,2261 year out$57,140$22,251 14Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, Louisiana313$38,4261 year out$58,924$22,875 15University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin304$37,2861 year out$57,874$23,250 16University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts297$36,3801 year out$74,087$25,125 17Florida International UniversityMiami, Florida294$36,4241 year out$57,042$18,000 18University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, Illinois294$37,8081 year out$71,207$19,500 19University of California-DavisDavis, California288$42,5691 year out$75,758$13,000 20University of South FloridaTampa, Florida285$34,5301 year out$51,525$20,500 21University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida282$37,0211 year out$48,282$21,854 22University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington281$44,6381 year out$68,260$16,433 23Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey280$43,6491 year out$72,419$25,000 24San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, California276—1 year out$67,114—25University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California269$47,6511 year out$77,431$17,702 26University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California265$43,6961 year out$93,369$11,180 27San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California261$37,7731 year out$59,719$15,675 28University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah256$43,8011 year out$58,546$18,017 29University of ConnecticutStorrs, Connecticut254$40,4731 year out$68,876$24,068 30University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona252$42,9931 year out$71,141$19,750 31East Carolina UniversityGreenville, North Carolina249$37,8131 year out$56,874$23,250 32University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland247$43,6961 year out$75,778$20,000 33University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, California244$33,0461 year out$65,361$14,568 34University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina236$38,2341 year out$53,309$24,050 35California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, California235$30,7941 year out$56,058$13,999 36University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California232—1 year out——37San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, California229$40,7901 year out$69,437$15,000 38The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, Texas229$34,3141 year out$50,189$22,923 39Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia225$44,3091 year out$65,239$20,613 40University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada220$32,3651 year out$49,797$20,624 41The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Texas218$32,9901 year out—$20,000 42University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan209$50,5561 year out$81,316$20,376 43Marist UniversityPoughkeepsie, New York204$41,8181 year out$72,563$26,000 44The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas203$43,8481 year out—$20,500 45University of ArkansasFayetteville, Arkansas201$40,0951 year out$61,155$21,165 46University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado201$39,7381 year out$66,999$17,500 47Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, Texas201$34,0281 year out$62,488$25,000 48California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, California201$36,3101 year out$55,408$16,500 49University of Rhode IslandKingston, Rhode Island200$36,7851 year out$63,795$24,887 50Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, Texas198$28,2471 year out$51,123$26,000 51Boise State UniversityBoise, Idaho197$37,9541 year out$54,946$23,095 52North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina197$39,8891 year out$55,642$22,324 53Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia196$35,3921 year out$45,741$23,250 54University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona195$47,9191 year out$53,606$45,000 55Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, Arizona193$38,5071 year out$43,969$27,000 56University of DelawareNewark, Delaware193$41,8971 year out$75,745$25,000 57Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia191$35,8081 year out$56,586$24,000 58Brigham Young University-IdahoRexburg, Idaho190$36,9411 year out$49,858$13,207 59University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky190$39,3111 year out$54,361$23,875 60California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California188—1 year out——61University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, North Carolina186$30,5591 year out$43,769$25,000 62University of North FloridaJacksonville, Florida178$36,8421 year out$50,651$17,345 63California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, California177$32,8521 year out$58,684$14,267 64University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina175$36,6951 year out$53,772$21,500 65University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio175$41,1381 year out$52,971$23,816 66Baylor UniversityWaco, Texas174$43,7401 year out$64,645$23,860 67Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, Florida173$34,7201 year out$50,606$19,500 68University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, Wisconsin172$38,0401 year out$51,174$26,000 69Montclair State UniversityMontclair, New Jersey170$28,0621 year out$64,298$24,713 70Villanova UniversityVillanova, Pennsylvania167$52,2941 year out$74,641$26,456 71Illinois State UniversityNormal, Illinois166$38,1251 year out$59,685$20,125 72California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, California164$32,4081 year out$48,810$15,750 73University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, Missouri162$44,0781 year out$59,233$20,500 74University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, Colorado161$39,6621 year out$57,243$27,000 75University of IowaIowa City, Iowa161$37,6471 year out$63,848$25,814 76University at AlbanyAlbany, New York155$30,7921 year out—$24,332 77University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, Maryland153$53,5131 year out$71,533$27,971 78Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, Massachusetts153$55,1621 year out$81,317$18,500 79College of CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina153$36,9031 year out$56,868$23,250 80University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, Virginia152$47,3681 year out$79,620$21,230 81Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio148$36,6661 year out$53,307$24,063 82CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, New York147$29,0541 year out$58,558$11,000 83Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana145$33,4281 year out$55,703$23,082 84Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, Mississippi143$31,8121 year out$50,575$24,219 85Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, Florida143$39,3421 year out$52,016$19,258 86Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, Florida142$30,5611 year out$49,929$38,549 87Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, California140$51,7201 year out$74,671$18,500 88University of LouisvilleLouisville, Kentucky139$38,2191 year out$51,634$23,375 89George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia139—1 year out——90DePaul UniversityChicago, Illinois138$34,4531 year out$59,525$22,916 91Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, Colorado136$38,7311 year out$54,306$24,647 92Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, Massachusetts135$34,1461 year out$50,312$26,848 93University of New Hampshire-Main CampusDurham, New Hampshire134$43,5511 year out$69,538$27,000 94The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, Texas133$26,7481 year out$48,282$11,956 95University of Colorado Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, Colorado132$37,0021 year out$49,311$19,500 96Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts132$47,4651 year out$77,774$23,250 97The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, Tennessee130$41,2581 year out$57,807$20,875 98Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, Texas130$37,3861 year out$58,381$24,250 99Kent State University at KentKent, Ohio129$35,8041 year out$48,898$26,000 100Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, Maryland125$34,7041 year out$54,349$22,250

Associate programs — top 100 of 245 colleges by graduates

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, California183—1 year out$54,515—2Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, California157—1 year out——3Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California135—1 year out$62,391—4Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, California109—1 year out$45,040—5Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, California103—1 year out$53,689—6Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California87—1 year out——7Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, California86—1 year out——8Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California83—1 year out$30,568—9Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California69—1 year out——10Pasadena City CollegePasadena, California65—1 year out$31,396—11De Anza CollegeCupertino, California61—1 year out——12El Camino Community College DistrictTorrance, California61—1 year out——13Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, California58—1 year out$39,417—14West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California57—1 year out——15Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain, Connecticut54—1 year out——16Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California52—1 year out$47,794—17Santiago Canyon CollegeOrange, California52—1 year out——18Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California51—1 year out——19College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California49—1 year out$42,777—20Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California49—1 year out$50,809—21Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, New Mexico49—1 year out$44,060—22Austin Community College DistrictAustin, Texas49—1 year out——23Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah48—1 year out$42,285$12,220 24Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, California47—1 year out——25Citrus CollegeGlendora, California46—1 year out$42,335—26Montgomery CollegeRockville, Maryland46—1 year out——27College of San MateoSan Mateo, California45—1 year out$58,331—28CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew York, New York45$26,4371 year out$35,617$8,643 29Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine, California44—1 year out——30Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland Hills, California44—1 year out——31American Public University SystemCharles Town, West Virginia44—1 year out—$24,555 32Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California43—1 year out——33Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California42—1 year out——34Riverside City CollegeRiverside, California42—1 year out——35San Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego, California42—1 year out$41,041—36Skyline CollegeSan Bruno, California41—1 year out——37Sierra CollegeRocklin, California40—1 year out——38MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, California39—1 year out$43,866—39Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, California39—1 year out——40San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton, California38—1 year out——41Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California37—1 year out——42UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyCranford, New Jersey37$21,4841 year out$34,975$7,350 43Clovis Community CollegeFresno, California37—1 year out——44Blinn College DistrictBrenham, Texas36—1 year out——45Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California35—1 year out——46Nassau Community CollegeGarden City, New York35$29,0161 year out$40,317$11,000 47Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell, Pennsylvania35—1 year out$40,630$12,000 48Houston City CollegeHouston, Texas35—1 year out——49Cuesta CollegeSan Luis Obispo, California34—1 year out——50Fresno City CollegeFresno, California34—1 year out$48,933—51College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada34—1 year out——52Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California33—1 year out——53Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, California32—1 year out——54Georgia Military CollegeMilledgeville, Georgia32—1 year out——55San Diego Miramar CollegeSan Diego, California31—1 year out——56Dutchess Community CollegePoughkeepsie, New York30$17,5851 year out$36,269$10,998 57Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, California29—1 year out——58Delaware County Community CollegeMedia, Pennsylvania29—1 year out$43,500$7,125 59Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania29$24,7941 year out$36,157$14,000 60Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California28—1 year out——61Suffolk County Community CollegeSelden, New York28—1 year out$52,717—62Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, California27—1 year out——63Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, California27—1 year out——64Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California27—1 year out$44,570—65University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeBlue Ash, Ohio27$38,7671 year out—$17,922 66Mesa Community CollegeMesa, Arizona26—1 year out——67Cypress CollegeCypress, California26—1 year out$40,764—68CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, New York26$23,3071 year out$36,514$8,511 69Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, Ohio26$32,2841 year out$38,860$11,944 70Las Positas CollegeLivermore, California26—1 year out——71Butte CollegeOroville, California25—1 year out——72East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park, California25—1 year out——73Evergreen Valley CollegeSan Jose, California25—1 year out——74SUNY Westchester Community CollegeValhalla, New York25—1 year out——75Weber State UniversityOgden, Utah25—1 year out——76Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancaster, California24—1 year out——77Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, California24—1 year out——78College of the DesertPalm Desert, California24—1 year out——79Reedley CollegeReedley, California24—1 year out——80County College of MorrisRandolph, New Jersey24$15,9051 year out$52,713$9,000 81Chabot CollegeHayward, California23—1 year out——82Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, California23—1 year out——83Victor Valley CollegeVictorville, California22—1 year out——84Norco CollegeNorco, California22—1 year out——85Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, Arizona20—1 year out——86American River CollegeSacramento, California20—1 year out——87Ohlone CollegeFremont, California20—1 year out——88Mission CollegeSanta Clara, California19—1 year out——89Onondaga Community CollegeSyracuse, New York19$29,9151 year out—$11,833 90Lone Star College SystemThe Woodlands, Texas18—1 year out——91Snow CollegeEphraim, Utah18—1 year out——92Gavilan CollegeGilroy, California17—1 year out$63,946—93San Diego City CollegeSan Diego, California17—1 year out——94Ventura CollegeVentura, California17—1 year out——95Chandler-Gilbert Community CollegeChandler, Arizona17—1 year out——96College of Western IdahoNampa, Idaho17—1 year out—$12,500 97City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, California16—1 year out——98Crafton Hills CollegeYucaipa, California16—1 year out——99Los Angeles Harbor CollegeWilmington, California15—1 year out——100Los Medanos CollegePittsburg, California15—1 year out——

Certificate programs — 81 colleges

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, Florida345$28,4471 year out$38,295$21,124 2Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas122—1 year out——3Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California102—1 year out——4Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California88—1 year out——5Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio83—1 year out——6The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Texas72—1 year out——7University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, Pennsylvania58$42,3211 year out$61,884$25,000 8University of North DakotaGrand Forks, North Dakota55—1 year out——9Southeast Arkansas CollegePine Bluff, Arkansas49—1 year out——10University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio43—1 year out——11Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California40—1 year out——12West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California40—1 year out——13University of Akron Main CampusAkron, Ohio27—1 year out——14Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California25—1 year out$45,135—15Reedley CollegeReedley, California24—1 year out——16Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California21—1 year out——17De Anza CollegeCupertino, California19—1 year out——18Gavilan CollegeGilroy, California19—1 year out——19Porterville CollegePorterville, California17—1 year out——20Boise State UniversityBoise, Idaho17—1 year out——21Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California16—1 year out——22Rochester Community and Technical CollegeRochester, Minnesota16$27,7981 year out——23Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California15—1 year out——24College of the SequoiasVisalia, California14—1 year out——25Community College of Rhode IslandWarwick, Rhode Island14—1 year out——26Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California13—1 year out——27Eastern Washington UniversityCheney, Washington13—1 year out$58,085—28NHTI-Concord's Community CollegeConcord, New Hampshire12—1 year out——29University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater, Wisconsin12—1 year out——30Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, New Mexico11—1 year out——31University of KansasLawrence, Kansas10—1 year out——32College of San MateoSan Mateo, California9—1 year out——33North Idaho CollegeCoeur d'Alene, Idaho9—1 year out——34Clovis Community CollegeFresno, California9—1 year out——35Ohlone CollegeFremont, California8—1 year out——36Alvin Community CollegeAlvin, Texas8—1 year out——37Utah Tech UniversitySaint George, Utah8—1 year out——38University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, Wisconsin8—1 year out——39University of FloridaGainesville, Florida7—1 year out——40Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, Michigan7—1 year out——41Snow CollegeEphraim, Utah7—1 year out——42Central Arizona CollegeCoolidge, Arizona6—1 year out——43Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, Minnesota6—1 year out——44Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, South Dakota6—1 year out——45Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, Texas6—1 year out——46Ensign CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah6—1 year out——47University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireEau Claire, Wisconsin6—1 year out——48Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California5—1 year out——49University at BuffaloBuffalo, New York5—1 year out——50Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona4—1 year out——51Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro, Arkansas3—1 year out——52University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia3—1 year out——53University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBaltimore, Maryland3—1 year out——54Prince George's Community CollegeLargo, Maryland3—1 year out——55Oakland Community CollegeAuburn Hills, Michigan3—1 year out——56Northcentral Technical CollegeWausau, Wisconsin3—1 year out——57Chabot CollegeHayward, California2—1 year out——58Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, California2—1 year out——59Union Commonwealth UniversityBarbourville, Kentucky2—1 year out——60University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts2—1 year out——61Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, Minnesota2—1 year out——62Lorain County Community CollegeElyria, Ohio2—1 year out——63University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona2—1 year out——64Madera Community CollegeMadera, California2—1 year out——65Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona1—1 year out——66Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville, Arkansas1—1 year out——67Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria, California1—1 year out——68Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California1—1 year out——69Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, California1—1 year out——70Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California1—1 year out——71Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, California1—1 year out——72Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, California1—1 year out——73Colorado Christian UniversityLakewood, Colorado1—1 year out——74Columbus State UniversityColumbus, Georgia1—1 year out——75Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, Louisiana1—1 year out——76Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, Ohio1—1 year out——77University of South DakotaVermillion, South Dakota1—1 year out——78Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, Utah1—1 year out——79University of Wisconsin-StoutMenomonie, Wisconsin1—1 year out——80Indiana Wesleyan University-National & GlobalMarion, Indiana1—1 year out——81University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado——1 year out$69,616—

US Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data (4-digit CIP). Graduates are conferrals in the most recent IPEDS year; earnings cover federally-aided completers who are working and not enrolled; medians for small programs are privacy-suppressed (—).