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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at University of Hawaii at Hilo

Hilo, HI · 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.

$14,609 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
49.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−114% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$41,750 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+78%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$25,159 → $44,892
23Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
27Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
44Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
44Borrowers 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.

123Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
28Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
74Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
41Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
12.9%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers
48Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,491Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$41,750$5,259 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.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$11,856

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

02 · BORROWING$20,753

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$41,750

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$220/mo

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$11,856Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$21,173Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE60.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE48.4%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.

$25,159Year 1
$41,750Year 4
$44,892Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.3% of gross monthly earnings

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

Gross monthly earnings$3,479
Estimated loan payment$220
44borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$41,750 vs. $56,359

$14,609 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$105,010 median wageHI estimate · 390 jobs · 11-2032$83,200–$135,550 middle 50% of HI wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$78,580 median wageU.S. estimate · 29,420 jobs · 25-1122+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wageU.S. estimate · 60 jobs · 27-3043-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$63,880 median wageHI estimate · 1,800 jobs · 27-3031$50,640–$81,900 middle 50% of HI wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$56,730 median wageHI estimate · 120 jobs · 27-3023$31,680–$88,620 middle 50% of HI wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$55,070 median wageHI estimate · 100 jobs · 27-3041$49,820–$77,360 middle 50% of HI wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$51,030 median wageHI estimate · 140 jobs · 27-3011$39,220–$64,940 middle 50% of HI wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$93,910 median wageHI estimate · 240 jobs · 11-2033$78,740–$118,340 middle 50% of HI wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$63,750 median wageHI estimate · 440 jobs · 13-1131$57,180–$78,750 middle 50% of HI wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$47,690 median wageHI estimate · 40 jobs · 27-3099$47,660–$75,580 middle 50% of HI 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
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

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

01

Educational Services

about 27.8%
02

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 11.0%
03

Accommodation and Food Services

about 9.1%
04

Retail Trade

about 9.1%
05

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

about 8.2%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
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.

Honolulu, HI

University of Hawaii at Manoa

$3,322 higher earnings · $1,781 less debt

Earnings
$45,072
Debt
$18,972
Annual net price
$15,664
View outcomes →
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$28,490 higher earnings · $5,253 less debt · $201 lower annual net price

Earnings
$70,240
Debt
$15,500
Annual net price
$11,655
View outcomes →
New York, NY

CUNY City College

$28,198 higher earnings · $4,926 less debt · $8,080 lower annual net price

Earnings
$69,948
Debt
$15,827
Annual net price
$3,776
View outcomes →
Tacoma, WA

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

$22,403 higher earnings · $4,320 less debt · $1,693 lower annual net price

Earnings
$64,153
Debt
$16,433
Annual net price
$10,163
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

44 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.

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