Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Communication and Media Studies master's degree outcomes at DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit · Federal field 0901

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$3,549 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
Not available
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$72,020 / year
10-year scenario
Withheld by data safeguards
Price evidence
College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+34%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$46,389$62,356
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
35Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
44Year-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 2023–24 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.

28Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$58,761Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$68,404$9,643 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.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$30,902

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$68,404

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$30,902Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$63,052Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE75.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE67.8%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.

$46,389Year 1
$68,404Year 4
$62,356Year 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$5,700
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$68,404 vs. $71,953

$3,549 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$131,990 median wageIL estimate · 2,770 jobs · 11-2032+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$78,150 median wageIL estimate · 1,580 jobs · 25-1122+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$68,220 median wageIL estimate · 2,640 jobs · 27-3043-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$76,380 median wageIL estimate · 6,200 jobs · 27-3031+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$76,060 median wageIL estimate · 4,560 jobs · 27-3041-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$60,590 median wageIL estimate · 1,060 jobs · 27-3023-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$46,720 median wageIL estimate · 770 jobs · 27-3011-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$106,290 median wageIL estimate · 2,860 jobs · 11-2033+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$66,440 median wageIL estimate · 4,470 jobs · 13-1131+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$60,730 median wageIL estimate · 19,590 jobs · 27-3099+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 2k 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.

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University

$47,697 higher earnings · $1,735 lower annual net price

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

Illinois State University

$11,504 lower annual net price

Earnings
$62,006
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$19,398
View outcomes →
New York, NY

Columbia University in the City of New York

$51,599 higher earnings · $9,312 lower annual net price

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

Johns Hopkins University

$39,005 higher earnings · $12,093 lower annual net price

Earnings
$107,409
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$18,809
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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