COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · 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 notably above similar programs.
$18,043 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 26.9% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $28,505 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +21% · Positive 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.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$114,020
$8,000Annual price+$82,020
$16,000Current college-wide context+$50,020
$24,000Annual price+$18,020
$32,000Annual price−$13,980
$40,000Annual price−$45,980
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,491Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$74,402$37,911 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 34 Parent 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.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$15,678
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$20,000
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$74,402
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$212/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.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$15,678Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$29,299Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE44.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE88.6%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.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.4% 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$6,200
Estimated loan payment$212
260borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$74,402 vs. $56,359
$18,043 above the national median for the same field and credential.
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$149,380 median wageMD estimate · 1,530 jobs · 11-2032$113,100–$198,340 middle 50% of MD wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$104,330 median wageMD estimate · 540 jobs · 27-3043$77,020–$140,670 middle 50% of MD wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$83,510 median wageMD estimate · 440 jobs · 25-1122$62,010–$114,120 middle 50% of MD wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePublic Relations Specialists$79,560 median wageMD estimate · 4,190 jobs · 27-3031$58,600–$108,160 middle 50% of MD wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$75,550 median wageMD estimate · 1,850 jobs · 27-3041$60,820–$100,300 middle 50% of MD wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$74,480 median wageMD estimate · 290 jobs · 27-3011$55,950–$110,140 middle 50% of MD wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$63,680 median wageMD estimate · 580 jobs · 27-3023$46,140–$85,400 middle 50% of MD wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$130,750 median wageMD estimate · 810 jobs · 11-2033$103,090–$172,290 middle 50% of MD wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$79,780 median wageMD estimate · 2,010 jobs · 13-1131$66,710–$95,580 middle 50% of MD wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$57,590 median wageMD estimate · 350 jobs · 27-3099$48,330–$80,840 middle 50% of MD 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.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Information
Educational Services
Other Services (except Public Administration)
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
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.
University of California, Berkeley
$1,210 higher earnings · $8,820 less debt · $2,197 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $75,612
- Debt
- $11,180
- Annual net price
- $13,481
University of Pennsylvania
$39,864 higher earnings · $4,363 less debt
- Earnings
- $114,266
- Debt
- $15,637
- Annual net price
- $28,699
Northwestern University
$19,139 higher earnings · $1,888 less debt
- Earnings
- $93,541
- Debt
- $18,112
- Annual net price
- $29,167
Cornell University
$14,061 higher earnings · $5,582 less debt
- Earnings
- $88,463
- Debt
- $14,418
- Annual net price
- $28,690
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
244 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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 →