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

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Highest earnings Most graduates

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

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, California71$62,1831 year out$67,009$14,928 2Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York64$62,1821 year out$89,715$14,418 3The University of Arizona Global CampusChandler, Arizona31$58,0891 year out$48,261$37,188 4CUNY Graduate School and University CenterNew York, New York44$57,7821 year out$61,361$14,125 5Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, Massachusetts153$55,1621 year out$81,317$18,500 6University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, Maryland153$53,5131 year out$71,533$27,971 7University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania62$53,0221 year out$87,743$15,637 8Villanova UniversityVillanova, Pennsylvania167$52,2941 year out$74,641$26,456 9Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois82$52,2101 year out$90,012$18,112 10Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, California140$51,7201 year out$74,671$18,500 11Hobart William Smith CollegesGeneva, New York34$50,7501 year out$70,320$27,000 12University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan209$50,5561 year out$81,316$20,376 13George Washington UniversityWashington, District of Columbia28$50,5521 year out$68,982$25,000 14Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, Minnesota32$50,0741 year out$62,102$27,000 15Colorado State University GlobalDenver, Colorado13$49,4361 year out$76,111$32,010 16Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina48$48,6371 year out$74,002$23,250 17Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, California17$48,3981 year out$66,858$19,667 18University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona195$47,9191 year out$53,606$45,000 19University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California269$47,6511 year out$77,431$17,702 20DeVry University-IllinoisLisle, Illinois12$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 21DeVry University-CaliforniaOntario, California1$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 22DeVry University-FloridaOrlando, Florida1$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 23DeVry University-GeorgiaDecatur, Georgia0$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 24DeVry University-NevadaHenderson, Nevada0$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 25DeVry University-TexasIrving, Texas0$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 26DeVry University-VirginiaArlington, Virginia0$47,6221 year out$47,760$56,858 27Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts132$47,4651 year out$77,774$23,250 28Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, Massachusetts2$47,4651 year out$77,774$23,250 29Denison UniversityGranville, Ohio51$47,3961 year out$64,696$25,187 30University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, Virginia152$47,3681 year out$79,620$21,230 31Boston UniversityBoston, Massachusetts60$47,3491 year out$84,361$25,108 32Brigham Young UniversityProvo, Utah58$46,7471 year out—$22,530 33Fairfield UniversityFairfield, Connecticut72$46,6771 year out$72,991$27,000 34University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California620$46,5981 year out$73,857$13,018 35Fordham UniversityBronx, New York103$46,4051 year out$72,537$25,700 36Concordia University-Saint PaulSaint Paul, Minnesota8$46,3271 year out——37Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul, Minnesota35$46,3201 year out$60,038$34,933 38The University of Texas Permian BasinOdessa, Texas22$46,2031 year out$56,760$22,852 39College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, Minnesota31$45,7021 year out$63,773$27,000 40University of St ThomasSaint Paul, Minnesota31$45,1001 year out—$27,000 41Bryant UniversitySmithfield, Rhode Island25$45,0711 year out$69,424$27,000 42Messiah UniversityMechanicsburg, Pennsylvania10$45,0211 year out$44,343—43University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, Oklahoma84$45,0091 year out$58,176$25,000 44University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington281$44,6381 year out$68,260$16,433 45University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, Washington101$44,6381 year out$68,260$16,433 46University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, Washington61$44,6381 year out$68,260$16,433 47St Catherine UniversitySaint Paul, Minnesota11$44,6061 year out$55,753$30,750 48Chapman UniversityOrange, California98$44,6011 year out$59,421$19,500 49Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale, Arizona468$44,5711 year out$62,225$22,500 50Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona346$44,5711 year out$62,225$22,500 51Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia225$44,3091 year out$65,239$20,613 52University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia107$44,2831 year out$62,709$22,500 53Utah Valley UniversityOrem, Utah21$44,2021 year out$61,012$14,200 54Emerson CollegeBoston, Massachusetts24$44,1081 year out$62,654$23,953 55University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, Missouri162$44,0781 year out$59,233$20,500 56Manhattan UniversityRiverdale, New York54$44,0161 year out$68,181$26,000 57The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas203$43,8481 year out—$20,500 58Saint Anselm CollegeManchester, New Hampshire17$43,8191 year out$73,615$27,000 59University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah256$43,8011 year out$58,546$18,017 60Baylor UniversityWaco, Texas174$43,7401 year out$64,645$23,860 61University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California265$43,6961 year out$93,369$11,180 62University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland247$43,6961 year out$75,778$20,000 63Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey280$43,6491 year out$72,419$25,000 64University of New Hampshire-Main CampusDurham, New Hampshire134$43,5511 year out$69,538$27,000 65University of New Hampshire at ManchesterManchester, New Hampshire12$43,5511 year out$69,538$27,000 66University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies OnlineManchester, New Hampshire0$43,5511 year out$69,538$27,000 67Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, Florida25$43,5081 year out$37,418—68Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, Georgia—$43,4201 year out$53,962$30,022 69University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina521$43,3481 year out$67,532$15,500 70Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas374$43,2951 year out$62,316$17,782 71The Catholic University of AmericaWashington, District of Columbia23$43,2591 year out$70,420$27,000 72Weber State UniversityOgden, Utah91$43,2091 year out$55,670$16,566 73DePauw UniversityGreencastle, Indiana44$43,1411 year out$64,923$27,000 74University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona252$42,9931 year out$71,141$19,750 75Edgewood UniversityMadison, Wisconsin14$42,9501 year out$55,401$23,250 76Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, Illinois14$42,8351 year out$68,321$27,000 77James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia413$42,7691 year out$66,067$21,502 78CUNY City CollegeNew York, New York69$42,7341 year out$59,593$15,827 79Towson UniversityTowson, Maryland79$42,6571 year out$63,882$20,309 80Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, Maryland72$42,6401 year out$73,116$27,000 81University of DaytonDayton, Ohio123$42,6291 year out$71,532$25,375 82University of California-DavisDavis, California288$42,5691 year out$75,758$13,000 83University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, Massachusetts66$42,4801 year out$56,110$26,500 84University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, Minnesota24$42,4581 year out—$25,288 85Concordia College at MoorheadMoorhead, Minnesota25$42,4311 year out$48,764$25,250 86California Baptist UniversityRiverside, California26$42,3001 year out$64,872$25,126 87Simmons UniversityBoston, Massachusetts19$42,2561 year out$56,409$26,000 88Hamline UniversitySaint Paul, Minnesota13$42,2011 year out$52,859$27,000 89Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina124$42,0551 year out$72,756$22,250 90Luther CollegeDecorah, Iowa10$42,0121 year out$52,931$27,000 91University of DelawareNewark, Delaware193$41,8971 year out$75,745$25,000 92Belmont UniversityNashville, Tennessee40$41,8891 year out$64,813$22,125 93Rider UniversityLawrenceville, New Jersey7$41,8641 year out——94Marist UniversityPoughkeepsie, New York204$41,8181 year out$72,563$26,000 95Furman UniversityGreenville, South Carolina47$41,7661 year out$64,162$22,631 96Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, New York10$41,7451 year out$50,076—97Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, Missouri23$41,5791 year out$52,765$28,500 98Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona73$41,4911 year out$50,666$19,375 99Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, Illinois1$41,4231 year out$50,554—100Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, Indiana122$41,4091 year out$58,742$18,500

Associate programs — top 100 of 245 colleges by graduate earnings

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeBlue Ash, Ohio27$38,7671 year out—$17,922 2University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio—$38,7671 year out—$17,922 3Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, Ohio26$32,2841 year out$38,860$11,944 4Northampton County Area Community CollegeBethlehem, Pennsylvania11$30,4711 year out$41,228$17,500 5Onondaga Community CollegeSyracuse, New York19$29,9151 year out—$11,833 6Nassau Community CollegeGarden City, New York35$29,0161 year out$40,317$11,000 7Monroe Community CollegeRochester, New York9$27,1231 year out$43,673$9,750 8CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew York, New York45$26,4371 year out$35,617$8,643 9Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania29$24,7941 year out$36,157$14,000 10CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, New York26$23,3071 year out$36,514$8,511 11UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyCranford, New Jersey37$21,4841 year out$34,975$7,350 12Dutchess Community CollegePoughkeepsie, New York30$17,5851 year out$36,269$10,998 13County College of MorrisRandolph, New Jersey24$15,9051 year out$52,713$9,000 14Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, California183—1 year out$54,515—15Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, California157—1 year out——16Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California135—1 year out$62,391—17Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, California109—1 year out$45,040—18Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, California103—1 year out$53,689—19Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California87—1 year out——20Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, California86—1 year out——21Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California83—1 year out$30,568—22Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California69—1 year out——23Pasadena City CollegePasadena, California65—1 year out$31,396—24De Anza CollegeCupertino, California61—1 year out——25El Camino Community College DistrictTorrance, California61—1 year out——26Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, California58—1 year out$39,417—27West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California57—1 year out——28Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain, Connecticut54—1 year out——29Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California52—1 year out$47,794—30Santiago Canyon CollegeOrange, California52—1 year out——31Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California51—1 year out——32College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California49—1 year out$42,777—33Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California49—1 year out$50,809—34Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, New Mexico49—1 year out$44,060—35Austin Community College DistrictAustin, Texas49—1 year out——36Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah48—1 year out$42,285$12,220 37Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, California47—1 year out——38Citrus CollegeGlendora, California46—1 year out$42,335—39Montgomery CollegeRockville, Maryland46—1 year out——40College of San MateoSan Mateo, California45—1 year out$58,331—41Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine, California44—1 year out——42Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland Hills, California44—1 year out——43American Public University SystemCharles Town, West Virginia44—1 year out—$24,555 44Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California43—1 year out——45Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California42—1 year out——46Riverside City CollegeRiverside, California42—1 year out——47San Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego, California42—1 year out$41,041—48Skyline CollegeSan Bruno, California41—1 year out——49Sierra CollegeRocklin, California40—1 year out——50MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, California39—1 year out$43,866—51Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, California39—1 year out——52San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton, California38—1 year out——53Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California37—1 year out——54Clovis Community CollegeFresno, California37—1 year out——55Blinn College DistrictBrenham, Texas36—1 year out——56Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California35—1 year out——57Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell, Pennsylvania35—1 year out$40,630$12,000 58Houston City CollegeHouston, Texas35—1 year out——59Cuesta CollegeSan Luis Obispo, California34—1 year out——60Fresno City CollegeFresno, California34—1 year out$48,933—61College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada34—1 year out——62Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California33—1 year out——63Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, California32—1 year out——64Georgia Military CollegeMilledgeville, Georgia32—1 year out——65San Diego Miramar CollegeSan Diego, California31—1 year out——66Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, California29—1 year out——67Delaware County Community CollegeMedia, Pennsylvania29—1 year out$43,500$7,125 68Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California28—1 year out——69Suffolk County Community CollegeSelden, New York28—1 year out$52,717—70Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, California27—1 year out——71Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, California27—1 year out——72Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California27—1 year out$44,570—73Mesa Community CollegeMesa, Arizona26—1 year out——74Cypress CollegeCypress, California26—1 year out$40,764—75Las Positas CollegeLivermore, California26—1 year out——76Butte CollegeOroville, California25—1 year out——77East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park, California25—1 year out——78Evergreen Valley CollegeSan Jose, California25—1 year out——79SUNY Westchester Community CollegeValhalla, New York25—1 year out——80Weber State UniversityOgden, Utah25—1 year out——81Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancaster, California24—1 year out——82Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, California24—1 year out——83College of the DesertPalm Desert, California24—1 year out——84Reedley CollegeReedley, California24—1 year out——85Chabot CollegeHayward, California23—1 year out——86Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, California23—1 year out——87Victor Valley CollegeVictorville, California22—1 year out——88Norco CollegeNorco, California22—1 year out——89Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, Arizona20—1 year out——90American River CollegeSacramento, California20—1 year out——91Ohlone CollegeFremont, California20—1 year out——92Mission CollegeSanta Clara, California19—1 year out——93Lone Star College SystemThe Woodlands, Texas18—1 year out——94Snow CollegeEphraim, Utah18—1 year out——95Gavilan CollegeGilroy, California17—1 year out$63,946—96San Diego City CollegeSan Diego, California17—1 year out——97Ventura CollegeVentura, California17—1 year out——98Chandler-Gilbert Community CollegeChandler, Arizona17—1 year out——99College of Western IdahoNampa, Idaho17—1 year out—$12,500 100City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, California16—1 year out——

Certificate programs — 81 colleges

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, Pennsylvania58$42,3211 year out$61,884$25,000 2Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, Florida345$28,4471 year out$38,295$21,124 3Rochester Community and Technical CollegeRochester, Minnesota16$27,7981 year out——4Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas122—1 year out——5Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California102—1 year out——6Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California88—1 year out——7Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio83—1 year out——8The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Texas72—1 year out——9University of North DakotaGrand Forks, North Dakota55—1 year out——10Southeast Arkansas CollegePine Bluff, Arkansas49—1 year out——11University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio43—1 year out——12Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California40—1 year out——13West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California40—1 year out——14University of Akron Main CampusAkron, Ohio27—1 year out——15Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California25—1 year out$45,135—16Reedley CollegeReedley, California24—1 year out——17Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California21—1 year out——18De Anza CollegeCupertino, California19—1 year out——19Gavilan CollegeGilroy, California19—1 year out——20Porterville CollegePorterville, California17—1 year out——21Boise State UniversityBoise, Idaho17—1 year out——22Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California16—1 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 (—).