NON-CREDENTIAL PROGRAM (PREPARATORY COURSEWORK/TEACHER CERTIFICATION) · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) in Communication and Media Studies worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Personal baseline needed
$70,332 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$70,332Median year-4 earnings
$27,566Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
Outcomes at a glance
$70,332Typical earnings four years after completion
Not availableAverage earnings five years after completion
Not availableTypical federal student debt
71thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Communication and Media Studies
How much do Communication and Media Studies non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) graduates earn?
The national median is $70,332 four years after completion across reportable non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Communication and Media Studies?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $68,442 to $68,442 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Communication and Media Studies?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 11 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,296
- Federal debt
- $23,062
- Programs in the comparison
- 5
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $44,143
- Federal debt
- $11,944
- Programs in the comparison
- 64
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,091
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 699
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,613
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,404
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 61
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $76,868
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $98,037
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $70,332
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$68,442National median$70,33275th percentile$68,442
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Texas A&M University-College Station$72,2212Walden University$68,442Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-10%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Public Relations Managers$146,910 median wage74,850 jobs nationwide+5.7% projected growth through 2035 · 6,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$82,410–$284,990 typical wage rangeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$78,580 median wage29,420 jobs nationwide+2.1% projected growth through 2035 · 2,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$47,590–$143,720 typical wage rangeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wage47,940 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 11,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,310–$139,870 typical wage rangeEditors$77,920 median wage91,690 jobs nationwide-1.1% projected growth through 2035 · 7,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,250–$153,700 typical wage rangePublic Relations Specialists$74,750 median wage283,380 jobs nationwide+1.8% projected growth through 2035 · 23,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,110–$135,150 typical wage rangeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 median wage39,250 jobs nationwide-5.9% projected growth through 2035 · 3,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$36,240–$144,140 typical wage rangeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 median wage21,240 jobs nationwide-7.6% projected growth through 2035 · 2,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$28,190–$138,440 typical wage rangeFundraising Managers$125,470 median wage38,810 jobs nationwide+5.4% projected growth through 2035 · 3,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$75,130–$222,350 typical wage rangeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$73,620 median wage19,590 jobs nationwide+3.9% projected growth through 2035 · 2,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$39,120–$134,270 typical wage rangeFundraisers$72,550 median wage111,040 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 10,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$46,630–$115,820 typical wage rangeNO MATCHUnreported jobs nationwide
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.