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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD · 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.

$10,822 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
−98% · 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$45,537 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 → $43,841
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
17Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
11Borrowers 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
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
24Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
31Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
15Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,067Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$45,537$9,470 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$15,911

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$45,537

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$15,911Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$21,277Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE96.3%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE42.6%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
$45,537Year 4
$43,841Year 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$3,795
Estimated loan paymentNot available
11borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$45,537 vs. $56,359

$10,822 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$146,910 median wageU.S. estimate · 74,850 jobs · 11-2032+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$71,300 median wageSD estimate · 80 jobs · 25-1122$60,520–$75,030 middle 50% of SD wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$56,700 median wageSD estimate · 60 jobs · 27-3043$54,080–$59,710 middle 50% of SD wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$64,520 median wageSD estimate · 210 jobs · 27-3031$55,990–$83,480 middle 50% of SD wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$56,730 median wageSD estimate · 140 jobs · 27-3041$55,940–$63,320 middle 50% of SD wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$43,520 median wageSD estimate · 190 jobs · 27-3023$35,850–$45,990 middle 50% of SD wages-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$40,630 median wageSD estimate · 230 jobs · 27-3011$34,040–$47,700 middle 50% of SD wages-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$125,470 median wageU.S. estimate · 38,810 jobs · 11-2033+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$66,800 median wageSD estimate · 80 jobs · 13-1131$59,010–$85,510 middle 50% of SD 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

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 16.5%
02

Accommodation and Food Services

about 14.3%
03

Retail Trade

about 12.3%
04

Educational Services

about 11.5%
05

Information

about 9.8%

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.

Brookings, SD

South Dakota State University

$9,808 higher earnings

Earnings
$55,345
Debt
$25,500
Annual net price
$19,841
View outcomes →
Vermillion, SD

University of South Dakota

$6,563 higher earnings

Earnings
$52,100
Debt
$26,000
Annual net price
$19,858
View outcomes →
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

$34,111 higher earnings · $2,773 lower annual net price

Earnings
$79,648
Debt
$20,376
Annual net price
$13,138
View outcomes →
West Lafayette, IN

Purdue University Global

$30,369 higher earnings · $8,141 lower annual net price

Earnings
$75,906
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$7,770
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

17 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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