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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies master's degree at American University

Washington, DC · Private nonprofit

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 notably above similar programs.

$22,471 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff
$202,120 / 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.

+54%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$68,299 → $104,844
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
18Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
88Year-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.

58Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
29Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
31Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
97Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$58,761Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$94,424$35,663 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: Parent PLUS not reported · 15 Grad PLUS borrowers.

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

$94,424 vs. $56,359

$38,065 above 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$41,943

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$94,424

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.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$41,943Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$76,058Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE62.0%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE75.5%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.

$68,299Year 1
$94,424Year 4
$104,844Year 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$7,869
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$94,424 vs. $71,953

$22,471 above 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$197,600 median wageDC estimate · 7,410 jobs · 11-2032$142,020–$296,830 middle 50% of DC wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$129,300 median wageDC estimate · 1,050 jobs · 27-3043$100,320–$158,020 middle 50% of DC wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$83,910 median wageDC estimate · 180 jobs · 25-1122$80,640–$100,530 middle 50% of DC wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$105,390 median wageDC estimate · 1,720 jobs · 27-3023$81,550–$160,330 middle 50% of DC wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$102,740 median wageDC estimate · 16,720 jobs · 27-3031$78,200–$149,120 middle 50% of DC wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$83,920 median wageDC estimate · 3,310 jobs · 27-3041$77,400–$130,360 middle 50% of DC wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 median wageU.S. estimate · 70 jobs · 27-3011-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$141,720 median wageDC estimate · 800 jobs · 11-2033$128,360–$169,130 middle 50% of DC wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$80,840 median wageDC estimate · 2,350 jobs · 13-1131$65,080–$102,690 middle 50% of DC wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$67,450 median wageDC estimate · 100 jobs · 27-3099$48,540–$94,400 middle 50% of DC wages+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentNO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999
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.

New York, NY

Columbia University in the City of New York

$25,579 higher earnings · $20,353 lower annual net price

Earnings
$120,003
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$21,590
View outcomes →
Evanston, IL

Northwestern University

$21,677 higher earnings · $12,776 lower annual net price

Earnings
$116,101
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$29,167
View outcomes →
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

$12,985 higher earnings · $23,134 lower annual net price

Earnings
$107,409
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$18,809
View outcomes →
Boston, MA

Northeastern University

$2,691 higher earnings · $11,028 lower annual net price

Earnings
$97,115
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$30,915
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

88 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 →