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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at Columbia College

Columbia, SC · Private nonprofit

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.

$12,079 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
64.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−103% · 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$44,280 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.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $47,742
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
26Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
30Year-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.

15Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,989Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$44,280$11,291 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$18,408

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

02 · BORROWING$28,644

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$44,280

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$304/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$18,408Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$35,258Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE93.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE36.9%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
$44,280Year 4
$47,742Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

8.2% 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$3,690
Estimated loan payment$304
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$44,280 vs. $56,359

$12,079 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$104,920 median wageSC estimate · 650 jobs · 11-2032$80,010–$145,240 middle 50% of SC wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$79,810 median wageSC estimate · 320 jobs · 25-1122$61,840–$97,220 middle 50% of SC wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$51,920 median wageSC estimate · 520 jobs · 27-3043$41,610–$76,330 middle 50% of SC wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$62,730 median wageSC estimate · 2,950 jobs · 27-3031$49,150–$92,560 middle 50% of SC wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$62,000 median wageSC estimate · 500 jobs · 27-3041$48,250–$76,300 middle 50% of SC wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$47,940 median wageSC estimate · 480 jobs · 27-3023$40,780–$61,360 middle 50% of SC wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$30,960 median wageSC estimate · 150 jobs · 27-3011$21,520–$48,530 middle 50% of SC wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$103,240 median wageSC estimate · 220 jobs · 11-2033$80,340–$140,280 middle 50% of SC wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$73,620 median wageU.S. estimate · 19,590 jobs · 27-3099+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFundraisers$62,720 median wageSC estimate · 1,200 jobs · 13-1131$52,370–$81,260 middle 50% of SC wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNO 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 18.5%
02

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 17.5%
03

Finance and Insurance

about 16.4%
04

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 10.1%
05

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

about 7.9%

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.

Aiken, SC

University of South Carolina Aiken

$13,923 higher earnings · $644 less debt · $6,767 lower annual net price

Earnings
$58,203
Debt
$28,000
Annual net price
$11,641
View outcomes →
Conway, SC

Coastal Carolina University

$6,730 higher earnings · $3,644 less debt · $4,442 lower annual net price

Earnings
$51,010
Debt
$25,000
Annual net price
$13,966
View outcomes →
Bluffton, SC

University of South Carolina Beaufort

$5,265 higher earnings · $144 less debt · $3,752 lower annual net price

Earnings
$49,545
Debt
$28,500
Annual net price
$14,656
View outcomes →
Rock Hill, SC

Winthrop University

$4,023 higher earnings · $1,644 less debt · $3,065 lower annual net price

Earnings
$48,303
Debt
$27,000
Annual net price
$15,343
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

30 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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