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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at Towson University

Towson, 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.

$6,933 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
32.1% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
$730 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff
−27% · 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$63,292 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.

+50%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$42,657 → $63,882
259Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
204Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
324Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
325Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$29,000Awarding-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.

299Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
64Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
147Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
173Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
4.2%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 21 non-completers
323Graduates 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$63,292$26,801 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 47 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$17,413

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

02 · BORROWING$20,309

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$63,292

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$215/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$17,413Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$28,535Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE82.0%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE69.5%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.

$42,657Year 1
$63,292Year 4
$63,882Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% 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$5,274
Estimated loan payment$215
325borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$63,292 vs. $56,359

$6,933 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$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.

01

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 20.1%
02

Information

about 11.2%
03

Educational Services

about 9.1%
04

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

about 8.8%
05

Finance and Insurance

about 6.0%

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.

College Park, MD

University of Maryland-College Park

$11,110 higher earnings · $309 less debt · $1,735 lower annual net price

Earnings
$74,402
Debt
$20,000
Annual net price
$15,678
View outcomes →
Baltimore, MD

Loyola University Maryland

$8,656 higher earnings

Earnings
$71,948
Debt
$27,000
Annual net price
$30,574
View outcomes →
Adelphi, MD

University of Maryland Global Campus

$3,889 higher earnings

Earnings
$67,181
Debt
$27,971
Annual net price
$22,063
View outcomes →
Westminster, MD

McDaniel College

$2,119 higher earnings

Earnings
$65,411
Debt
$25,000
Annual net price
$21,916
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

324 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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