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Communication & Media

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Communication & Media

Communication & Media graduates earn $56,359 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $39,575 and $76,115. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

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About Communication & Media

Communication & Media is a focused area of study within Communication. Graduates typically earn around $56,359 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. The program is available at 1,406 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 56,620 students complete this program each year, most earning a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.

Median Earnings · 1yr: $34,772
Median Earnings · 4yr: $56,359
Colleges Offering: 1,406
Graduates / Year: 56,620
Avg Net Price / yr: $16,224

How Much Do Communication & Media Graduates Earn?

Communication & Media graduates earn $56,359 four years out, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $39,575 and $76,115. Earnings typically jump significantly in the first few years. The one-year figure of $34,772 climbs to $56,359 by year four.

$34,772

1 Year After Graduation

Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.

$56,359

4-Year National Median

Near the national median for college graduates.

$54,226

4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.

Earnings Range

There is a wide earnings spread across Communication & Media graduates. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.

$39,575 25th pct.

$56,359 Median

$76,115 75th pct.

A Solid Financial Return

Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $56,359 and an estimated $64,896 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 2.5 years.

Based on outcomes from 1,145 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 56,620 students who complete Communication & Media programs each year, the majority (81%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

81%

Bachelor's 81%

Associate's 9%

Master's 9%

What Can You Do With a Communication & Media Degree?

Communication & Media connects to 8 occupations in the job market. Public Relations Managers leads at $146,910/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

↗ +5.0% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Public Relations Managers

$146,910

$107K $205K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 6,600 openings/yr 75K employed nationally

Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

↗ +4.2% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Fundraising Managers

$125,470

$96K $170K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 3,600 openings/yr 39K employed nationally

Critical Thinking Speaking Persuasion Social Perceptiveness Active Listening

Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
Manage fundraising budgets.
Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.

↗ +2.1% Zone 5: Extensive preparation

Communications Teachers

$78,580

$61K $102K 25th–75th pct.

Doctoral or professional degree 2,700 openings/yr 29K employed nationally

Active Listening Reading Comprehension Instructing Speaking Writing

Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

↗ +0.6% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Editor

$77,920

$57K $106K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 9,800 openings/yr 92K employed nationally

Reading Comprehension Writing Active Listening Critical Thinking Speaking

Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication, and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.

↗ +3.6% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Writer & Author

$76,910

$58K $102K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 13,400 openings/yr 48K employed nationally

Writing Writing Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension Active Listening

Day-to-day responsibilities

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
Present drafts and ideas to clients.

↗ +4.8% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Public Relations Specialist

$74,750

$56K $100K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 27,600 openings/yr 283K employed nationally

Speaking Active Listening Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension Writing

Day-to-day responsibilities

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.

↗ +4.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Meeting & Event Planner

$72,550

$57K $92K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 10,200 openings/yr 111K employed nationally

Speaking Persuasion Reading Comprehension Active Listening Writing

Day-to-day responsibilities

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

Identify and build relationships with potential donors.
Secure commitments of participation or donation from individuals or corporate donors.
Write and send letters of thanks to donors.

↘ -3.9% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

News Reporter

$62,200

$45K $98K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 4,100 openings/yr 39K employed nationally

Speaking Reading Comprehension Writing Active Listening Time Management

Day-to-day responsibilities

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.

Top Colleges for Communication & Media

The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Communication & Media students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

#	College	Graduates	Acceptance	Net Price/yr	Earnings 10yr
1	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA · Public	682	90.5%	$6,555	$62,951
2	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA · Public	629	33%	$16,109	$74,915
3	University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Nonprofit	609	9.8%	$32,740	$92,498
4	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC · Public	570	15.3%	$11,655	$72,200
5	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public	489	60.6%	$17,339	$60,409
6	University of Florida Gainesville, FL · Public	425	24.2%	$6,541	$71,588
7	James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA · Public	425	71.5%	$23,322	$69,954
8	Florida International University Miami, FL · Public	414	54.7%	$9,288	$60,249
9	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA · Public	410	94%	$9,338	$64,876
10	Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN · Public	399	78.2%	$16,264	$63,742
11	Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public	379	57.4%	$21,315	$72,097
12	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public	375	84.8%	$19,680	$67,253
13	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public	372	89.9%	$14,967	$62,668
14	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public	366	49.9%	$14,600	$72,424
15	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA · Public	356	73.3%	$19,151	$61,251
16	University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY · Public	347	74.2%	$20,995	$70,814
17	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA · Public	340	46.3%	$10,440	$64,403
18	University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI · Public	330	45.2%	$17,354	$73,792
19	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ · Nonprofit	324	78.9%	$22,472	$42,186
20	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL · Public	313	42.4%	$14,355	$81,054

View all colleges

Ranked by Communication & Media graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Communication & Media program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if a Communication & Media degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Communication & Media Degree: Pros & Cons

The data on Communication & Media shows 4 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.

PROS

Above-average earnings Four-year median of $56,359 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $34,772 at graduation to $56,359 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Positive job outlook Related careers project up to +5.0% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 78,000 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.

CONS

Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas 1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
High earnings variance Gap between 25th ($39,575) and 75th ($76,115) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.

Communication & Media Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Communication & Media graduates earn?

Communication & Media graduates earn a national median of $56,359 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $39,575 and $76,115. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.

What is the starting salary for a Communication & Media degree?

One year after graduation, Communication & Media degree holders earn a median of $34,772. That climbs to $56,359 four years out. The biggest salary jumps typically come once you move past entry-level roles.

What jobs can you get with a Communication & Media degree?

Communication & Media degree holders pursue careers including Public Relations Managers, which pays a median of $146,910/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.

How long does a Communication & Media program take?

A Communication & Media bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study. Community colleges offer associate programs in two years for students who want a faster path into the workforce.

How many colleges offer Communication & Media?

1,406 colleges and universities in the United States offer Communication & Media programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.

Is a Communication & Media degree worth it?

With a median 4-year salary of $56,359 and an average net price of roughly $16,224/yr, a Communication & Media degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.

What is the difference between Communication & Media and Communication?

Communication & Media is a focused concentration within the broader Communication field. The Communication major covers the full discipline; this program narrows the curriculum to Communication & Media-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. If you already know this is the direction you want, the specialized program gives you a more targeted credential.

What skills do employers look for in Communication & Media graduates?

Employers hiring Communication & Media graduates consistently prioritize writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles.

What is the job outlook for Communication & Media graduates?

The job outlook for Communication & Media graduates is slow overall. Related occupations project an average of +2.6% job growth over the next 10 years. Public Relations Managers is among the strongest-growth roles at +5.0%. Growth varies by role and location, so check the Career Paths section for projections on each specific occupation.