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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at Portland State University

Portland, OR · 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.

$2,873 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
41.5% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−35% · 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$59,232 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.

+58%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$35,143 → $55,465
112Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
109Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
144Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
139Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$15,716Awarding-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.

218Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
42Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
143Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
97Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
5.6%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers
155Graduates 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$59,232$23,150 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$9,552

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

02 · BORROWING$24,582

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$59,232

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$261/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$9,552Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$21,590Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE90.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE52.7%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.

$35,143Year 1
$59,232Year 4
$55,465Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.3% 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$4,936
Estimated loan payment$261
139borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$59,232 vs. $56,359

$2,873 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$131,190 median wageOR estimate · 1,410 jobs · 11-2032$96,510–$164,310 middle 50% of OR wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$98,900 median wageOR estimate · 490 jobs · 25-1122$72,280–$123,280 middle 50% of OR wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$80,540 median wageOR estimate · 950 jobs · 27-3043$52,620–$104,010 middle 50% of OR wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$74,900 median wageOR estimate · 4,510 jobs · 27-3031$55,970–$100,330 middle 50% of OR wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$71,540 median wageOR estimate · 1,110 jobs · 27-3041$57,740–$90,740 middle 50% of OR wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$49,200 median wageOR estimate · 410 jobs · 27-3023$35,430–$70,720 middle 50% of OR wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$46,190 median wageOR estimate · 240 jobs · 27-3011$36,950–$60,280 middle 50% of OR wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$103,870 median wageOR estimate · 1,160 jobs · 11-2033$83,670–$135,520 middle 50% of OR wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$64,080 median wageOR estimate · 2,090 jobs · 13-1131$56,000–$83,220 middle 50% of OR wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$41,600 median wageOR estimate · 260 jobs · 27-3099$41,600–$50,350 middle 50% of OR 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

Educational Services

about 12.0%
02

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 12.0%
03

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 10.2%
04

Finance and Insurance

about 8.1%
05

Retail Trade

about 6.9%

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.

Eugene, OR

University of Oregon

$11,300 higher earnings · $8,082 less debt

Earnings
$70,532
Debt
$16,500
Annual net price
$22,182
View outcomes →
Corvallis, OR

Oregon State University

$1,864 higher earnings · $2,842 less debt

Earnings
$61,096
Debt
$21,740
Annual net price
$19,604
View outcomes →
Bend, OR

Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

$1,864 higher earnings · $2,842 less debt

Earnings
$61,096
Debt
$21,740
Annual net price
$18,048
View outcomes →
Salem, OR

Willamette University

$11,180 higher earnings

Earnings
$70,412
Debt
$26,000
Annual net price
$25,121
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

144 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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