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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1003

Graphic Communications: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$58,803 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.

$58,803Median year-4 earnings

$40,315Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$58,803Median reported earnings · year 4

$59,759Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

12thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $34,184
Federal debt: $11,250
Reporting programs: 8

7 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $38,274
Federal debt: $11,626
Reporting programs: 24

23 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $43,058
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 69

63 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $58,803
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $23,653
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$51,962National median$58,80375th percentile$58,803

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Academy of Art University$64,026 2DePaul University$58,803 3Savannah College of Art and Design$51,962

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Prepress Technicians and WorkersSOC 51-5111 · 8 crosswalk linksPrinting Press OperatorsSOC 51-5112 · 4 crosswalk linksDesktop PublishersSOC 43-9031 · 2 crosswalk linksData Entry KeyersSOC 43-9021 · 1 crosswalk linksEtchers and EngraversSOC 51-9194 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial Effects Artists and AnimatorsSOC 27-1014 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS

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	Academy of Art UniversityMaster's Degree	San Francisco, CA	$64,026	Not available	Baseline needed	$40,613
2	DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$58,803	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,902
3	Savannah College of Art and DesignMaster's Degree	Savannah, GA	$51,962	Not available	Baseline needed	$49,430

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.