How much do Communication and Media Studies master's degree graduates from Wayne State University earn?

The reported median is $87,918 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

Federal debt is not reported for this cohort.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 22% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies master's degree at Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · 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.

$15,965 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff: $169,590 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: Withheld by data safeguards
Available price data: College-wide context only

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+20%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$56,521 → $67,681

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

16Year-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 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.

45Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

27Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$58,014Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$87,918$29,904 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.

GRADUATE-DEGREE BASELINE

$87,918 vs. $56,359

$31,559 above the national bachelor’s median in the same field.

Comparison basis673 bachelor’s program records

This is a cross-cohort benchmark, not the salary increase caused by earning this graduate credential. Your current earnings remain the correct baseline for personal ROI.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$12,766

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$87,918

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$12,766Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$27,350Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE81.2%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE58.4%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.

$56,521Year 1

$87,918Year 4

$67,681Year 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$7,327

Estimated loan paymentNot available

Not availableborrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$87,918 vs. $71,953

$15,965 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$117,900 median wageMI estimate · 1,720 jobs · 11-2032$91,340–$164,630 middle 50% of MI wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$87,670 median wageMI estimate · 630 jobs · 25-1122$67,250–$107,460 middle 50% of MI wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wageU.S. estimate · 47,940 jobs · 27-3043-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$65,300 median wageMI estimate · 7,510 jobs · 27-3031$50,160–$86,770 middle 50% of MI wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$63,090 median wageMI estimate · 1,690 jobs · 27-3041$49,120–$77,370 middle 50% of MI wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,760 median wageMI estimate · 960 jobs · 27-3023$38,980–$98,390 middle 50% of MI wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$46,640 median wageMI estimate · 650 jobs · 27-3011$30,570–$77,070 middle 50% of MI wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$113,360 median wageMI estimate · 880 jobs · 11-2033$89,160–$149,100 middle 50% of MI wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$66,130 median wageMI estimate · 3,170 jobs · 13-1131$51,750–$81,810 middle 50% of MI wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$58,720 median wageMI estimate · 60 jobs · 27-3099$43,750–$64,820 middle 50% of MI 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

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.

Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$256 higher earnings · $1,111 lower annual net price

Earnings: $88,174
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $11,655

View outcomes →

New York, NY

Columbia University in the City of New York

$32,085 higher earnings

Earnings: $120,003
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $21,590

View outcomes →

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University

$28,183 higher earnings

Earnings: $116,101
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $29,167

View outcomes →

Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

$19,491 higher earnings

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

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

16 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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