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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · 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 close to similar programs.

$2,853 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
36.2% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−65% · 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$53,506 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.

+30%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$40,558 → $52,777
72Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
60Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
88Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
80Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$17,300Awarding-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.

104Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
26Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
39Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
66Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
95Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$53,506$17,424 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$15,901

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

02 · BORROWING$19,387

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$53,506

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$206/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$15,901Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$22,278Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE92.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE67.9%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.

$40,558Year 1
$53,506Year 4
$52,777Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.6% 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$4,459
Estimated loan payment$206
80borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$53,506 vs. $56,359

$2,853 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$120,730 median wageIA estimate · 630 jobs · 11-2032$95,430–$149,190 middle 50% of IA wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$77,700 median wageIA estimate · 320 jobs · 25-1122$61,240–$97,200 middle 50% of IA wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$61,010 median wageIA estimate · 290 jobs · 27-3043$50,280–$69,220 middle 50% of IA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$62,970 median wageIA estimate · 2,890 jobs · 27-3031$49,040–$81,450 middle 50% of IA wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$57,200 median wageIA estimate · 900 jobs · 27-3041$45,800–$75,180 middle 50% of IA wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$43,540 median wageIA estimate · 590 jobs · 27-3023$36,830–$54,230 middle 50% of IA wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$37,090 median wageIA estimate · 320 jobs · 27-3011$28,680–$50,280 middle 50% of IA wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$98,700 median wageIA estimate · 370 jobs · 11-2033$77,620–$124,990 middle 50% of IA wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$63,930 median wageIA estimate · 1,230 jobs · 13-1131$55,470–$80,300 middle 50% of IA wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$50,080 median wageIA estimate · 80 jobs · 27-3099$43,790–$62,110 middle 50% of IA 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

Finance and Insurance

about 19.3%
02

Educational Services

about 10.6%
03

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 10.4%
04

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 8.2%
05

Retail Trade

about 7.8%

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.

Iowa City, IA

University of Iowa

$7,231 higher earnings

Earnings
$60,737
Debt
$25,814
Annual net price
$22,531
View outcomes →
Ames, IA

Iowa State University

$3,604 higher earnings

Earnings
$57,110
Debt
$19,425
Annual net price
$18,589
View outcomes →
Berkeley, CA

University of California, Berkeley

$22,106 higher earnings · $8,207 less debt · $2,420 lower annual net price

Earnings
$75,612
Debt
$11,180
Annual net price
$13,481
View outcomes →
Davis, CA

University of California, Davis

$19,272 higher earnings · $6,387 less debt · $1,160 lower annual net price

Earnings
$72,778
Debt
$13,000
Annual net price
$14,741
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 →