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Communication and Media Studies.
Doctoral Degree•73 Institutions
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($75,616)
P25-P75 Interval ($63,328 - $81,331)
Bachelor's Baseline ($56,938)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuscaloosa | AL | - Nat: $77,931 | $20,202 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tucson | AZ | - Nat: $77,931 | $17,125 /yr | - | -$0 |
Davis | CA | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,318 /yr | - | -$0 |
La Jolla | CA | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,794 /yr | - | -$0 |
Santa Barbara | CA | - Nat: $77,931 | $16,807 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boulder | CO | - Nat: $77,931 | $23,708 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fort Collins | CO | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,247 /yr | - | -$0 |
Denver | CO | - Nat: $77,931 | $31,961 /yr | - | -$0 |
Storrs | CT | - Nat: $77,931 | $24,342 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $77,931 | $41,302 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $77,931 | $33,002 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tallahassee | FL | - Nat: $77,931 | $8,605 /yr | - | -$0 |
Gainesville | FL | - Nat: $77,931 | $5,969 /yr | - | -$0 |
Coral Gables | FL | - Nat: $77,931 | $36,483 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tampa | FL | - Nat: $77,931 | $8,648 /yr | - | -$0 |
Athens | GA | - Nat: $77,931 | $13,636 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $77,931 | $9,540 /yr | - | -$0 |
Champaign | IL | - Nat: $77,931 | $13,042 /yr | - | -$0 |
Evanston | IL | - Nat: $77,931 | $34,420 /yr | - | -$0 |
Carbondale | IL | - Nat: $77,931 | $12,554 /yr | - | -$0 |
Iowa City | IA | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,508 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lawrence | KS | - Nat: $77,931 | $20,004 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lexington | KY | - Nat: $77,931 | $18,868 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baton Rouge | LA | - Nat: $77,931 | $19,286 /yr | - | -$0 |
College Park | MD | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,296 /yr | - | -$0 |
Amherst | MA | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,857 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ann Arbor | MI | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,362 /yr | - | -$0 |
East Lansing | MI | - Nat: $77,931 | $21,322 /yr | - | -$0 |
Detroit | MI | - Nat: $77,931 | $11,212 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hattiesburg | MS | - Nat: $77,931 | $21,172 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $15,370 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ithaca | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $33,934 /yr | - | -$0 |
Troy | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $32,758 /yr | - | -$0 |
Albany | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $18,266 /yr | - | -$0 |
Buffalo | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $21,775 /yr | - | -$0 |
Syracuse | NY | - Nat: $77,931 | $43,336 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fargo | ND | - Nat: $77,931 | $15,636 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bowling Green | OH | - Nat: $77,931 | $21,453 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kent | OH | - Nat: $77,931 | $20,294 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbus | OH | - Nat: $77,931 | $17,269 /yr | - | -$0 |
Athens | OH | - Nat: $77,931 | $20,666 /yr | - | -$0 |
Norman | OK | - Nat: $77,931 | $15,531 /yr | - | -$0 |
Eugene | OR | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,547 /yr | - | -$0 |
Philadelphia | PA | - Nat: $77,931 | $37,529 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indiana | PA | - Nat: $77,931 | $17,391 /yr | - | -$0 |
Philadelphia | PA | - Nat: $77,931 | $29,577 /yr | - | -$0 |
Philadelphia | PA | - Nat: $77,931 | $23,058 /yr | - | -$0 |
Clemson | SC | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,032 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbia | SC | - Nat: $77,931 | $22,197 /yr | - | -$0 |
Memphis | TN | - Nat: $77,931 | $12,192 /yr | - | -$0 |
Knoxville | TN | - Nat: $77,931 | $18,314 /yr | - | -$0 |
College Station | TX | - Nat: $77,931 | $21,527 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lubbock | TX | - Nat: $77,931 | $19,890 /yr | - | -$0 |
Salt Lake City | UT | - Nat: $77,931 | $27,314 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pullman | WA | - Nat: $77,931 | $13,462 /yr | - | -$0 |
Seattle | WA | - Nat: $77,931 | $13,663 /yr | - | -$0 |
Milwaukee | WI | - Nat: $77,931 | $15,625 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stanford | CA | - Nat: $77,931 | $12,307 /yr | - | -$0 |
West Lafayette | IN | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,851 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waterbury | CT | - Nat: $77,931 | $8,616 /yr | - | -$0 |
Groton | CT | - Nat: $77,931 | $11,184 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stamford | CT | - Nat: $77,931 | $14,226 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hartford | CT | - Nat: $77,931 | $13,961 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chapel Hill | NC | $89,233 Nat: $77,931 5yr Post-Grad | $11,305 /yr | - | -$39k |
Tempe | AZ | $82,068 Nat: $77,931 4yr Post-Grad | $14,694 /yr | - | -$92k |
Virginia Beach | VA | $81,331 Nat: $77,931 4yr Post-Grad | $18,135 /yr | $138,500 | -$109k |
Bloomington | IN | $76,868 Nat: $77,931 4yr Post-Grad | $16,003 /yr | - | -$135k |
Madison | WI | $69,654 Nat: $77,931 4yr Post-Grad | $16,600 /yr | - | -$191k |
University Park | PA | $75,616 Nat: $77,931 4yr Post-Grad | $33,675 /yr | - | -$208k |
Columbia | MO | $70,534 Nat: $77,931 5yr Post-Grad | $21,142 /yr | - | -$211k |
Los Angeles | CA | $63,328 Nat: $77,931 2yr Post-Grad | $33,056 /yr | - | -$279k |
Atlanta | GA | $52,289 Nat: $77,931 2yr Post-Grad | $12,365 /yr | - | -$296k |
Lincoln | NE | $53,358 Nat: $77,931 2yr Post-Grad | $16,214 /yr | - | -$300k |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.