Educational/Instructional Media Design: is this doctoral degree worth it?
National picture across 4 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$91,077 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.
$91,077Median year-4 earnings
$26,156Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Four useful answers about Educational/Instructional Media Design
How much do Educational/Instructional Media Design doctoral degree graduates earn?
The national median is $91,077 four years after completion across reportable doctoral degree 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 Educational/Instructional Media Design?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $82,741 to $92,765 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Educational/Instructional Media Design?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$91,077Median reported earnings · year 4
$93,378Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
33thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
27IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
4With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 4 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,994
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,414
- Federal debt
- $37,758
- Reporting programs
- 3
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,669
- Federal debt
- $19,294
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,246
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 83
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $91,077
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $76,444
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
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$82,741National median$91,07775th percentile$92,765
4 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
4 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Pepperdine University$133,0312University of Phoenix-Arizona$92,7653Capella University$89,3894Kennesaw State University$82,741Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →13%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Instructional Coordinators$77,440 median wage227,760 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9031+1.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 23.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Master's degree$47,980–$121,670 10th–90th percentileTraining and Development Specialists$69,280 median wage458,300 U.S. jobs · SOC 13-1151+10.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 46k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$38,760–$123,250 10th–90th percentileLibrarians and Media Collections Specialists$68,270 median wage133,790 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-4022+2.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 12.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Master's degree$43,660–$103,990 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pepperdine UniversityDoctoral Degree | Malibu, CA | $133,031 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $58,098 |
| 2 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaDoctoral Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $92,765 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $13,520 |
| 3 | Capella UniversityDoctoral Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $89,389 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $17,956 |
| 4 | Kennesaw State UniversityDoctoral Degree | Kennesaw, GA | $82,741 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $15,048 |
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.