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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies associate's degree at Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, NM · 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 below similar programs.

$5,179 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−170% · 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$38,064 observed annual earnings · 2 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.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $44,060
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
25Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
33Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
16Borrowers 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.

171Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
81Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
24Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
20.9%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 44 non-completers
30Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$30,927Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$38,064$7,137 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$4,621

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$38,064

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$4,621Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$11,600Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context
COMPLETION RATE31.2%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.

Not availableYear 1
$38,064Year 4
$44,060Year 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$3,172
Estimated loan paymentNot available
16borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$38,064 vs. $43,243

$5,179 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$115,260 median wageNM estimate · 250 jobs · 11-2032$86,180–$150,810 middle 50% of NM wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wageU.S. estimate · 90 jobs · 27-3043-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$49,880 median wageNM estimate · 400 jobs · 25-1122$42,680–$68,520 middle 50% of NM wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePublic Relations Specialists$68,700 median wageNM estimate · 1,130 jobs · 27-3031$53,540–$89,670 middle 50% of NM wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$64,250 median wageNM estimate · 230 jobs · 27-3041$44,730–$81,240 middle 50% of NM wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$54,610 median wageNM estimate · 170 jobs · 27-3023$42,110–$68,580 middle 50% of NM wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$38,940 median wageNM estimate · 190 jobs · 27-3011$27,400–$46,000 middle 50% of NM wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$101,680 median wageNM estimate · 70 jobs · 11-2033$101,680–$153,850 middle 50% of NM wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$65,440 median wageNM estimate · 330 jobs · 13-1131$54,660–$79,840 middle 50% of NM wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$43,750 median wageNM estimate · 40 jobs · 27-3099$42,190–$54,360 middle 50% of NM 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.

Saratoga, CA

West Valley College

$27,216 higher earnings · $1,198 lower annual net price

Earnings
$65,280
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$3,423
View outcomes →
San Mateo, CA

College of San Mateo

$27,056 higher earnings · $4,085 lower annual net price

Earnings
$65,120
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$536
View outcomes →
San Bruno, CA

Skyline College

$23,362 higher earnings · $2,883 lower annual net price

Earnings
$61,426
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$1,738
View outcomes →
Santa Clarita, CA

College of the Canyons

$11,876 higher earnings · $919 lower annual net price

Earnings
$49,940
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$3,702
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

33 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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