How much do Communication and Media Studies master's degree graduates from University of Alabama at Birmingham earn?

The reported median is $54,662 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

Federal debt is not reported for this cohort.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 24% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies master's degree at University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are below similar programs.

$17,291 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff: $3,310 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: Withheld by data safeguards
Available price data: College-wide context only

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5$45,087 → Not available

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableYear-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

Not availableBorrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

25Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

Not reportedFederal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$42,937Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$54,662$11,725 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

GRADUATE-DEGREE BASELINE

$54,662 vs. $56,359

$1,697 below the national bachelor’s median in the same field.

Comparison basis673 bachelor’s program records

This is a cross-cohort benchmark, not the salary increase caused by earning this graduate credential. Your current earnings remain the correct baseline for personal ROI.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,749

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWINGNot available

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$54,662

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENTNot available

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$18,749Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$28,145Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE88.2%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE64.2%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$45,087Year 1

$54,662Year 4

Not availableYear 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

Repayment pressure is not available

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,555

Estimated loan paymentNot available

Not availableborrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$54,662 vs. $71,953

$17,291 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Public Relations Managers$98,210 median wageAL estimate · 540 jobs · 11-2032$80,070–$127,510 middle 50% of AL wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$66,950 median wageAL estimate · 180 jobs · 27-3043$51,840–$93,550 middle 50% of AL wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$63,760 median wageAL estimate · 300 jobs · 25-1122$51,990–$78,400 middle 50% of AL wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEditors$63,330 median wageAL estimate · 530 jobs · 27-3041$43,510–$87,990 middle 50% of AL wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$61,710 median wageAL estimate · 2,410 jobs · 27-3031$48,130–$82,360 middle 50% of AL wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$43,440 median wageAL estimate · 530 jobs · 27-3023$36,810–$48,950 middle 50% of AL wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$38,530 median wageAL estimate · 300 jobs · 27-3011$26,210–$56,870 middle 50% of AL wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$83,700 median wageAL estimate · 210 jobs · 11-2033$73,740–$107,310 middle 50% of AL wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$73,620 median wageU.S. estimate · 19,590 jobs · 27-3099+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFundraisers$60,120 median wageAL estimate · 1,120 jobs · 13-1131$46,480–$69,780 middle 50% of AL wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999

CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

Educational Services

about 35.4%

Accommodation and Food Services

about 15.4%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 10.8%

Finance and Insurance

about 10.8%

Retail Trade

about 6.2%

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Troy, AL

Troy University

$2,222 lower annual net price

Earnings: $54,590
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $16,527

View outcomes →

Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$33,512 higher earnings · $7,094 lower annual net price

Earnings: $88,174
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $11,655

View outcomes →

Detroit, MI

Wayne State University

$33,256 higher earnings · $5,983 lower annual net price

Earnings: $87,918
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $12,766

View outcomes →

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

$32,161 higher earnings · $12,208 lower annual net price

Earnings: $86,823
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $6,541

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

Not reported observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →