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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree at California State University, San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · 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.

$3,483 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
27.6% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−33% · 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$59,842 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.

+53%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$36,310 → $55,408
136Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
162Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
162Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
229Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$16,170Awarding-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.

482Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
92Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
279Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
187Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
6.7%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 35 non-completers
177Graduates 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$59,842$23,760 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 23 Parent PLUS borrowers.

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$10,229

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

02 · BORROWING$16,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$59,842

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$175/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$10,229Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$21,649Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE95.1%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE54.6%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.

$36,310Year 1
$59,842Year 4
$55,408Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.5% 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$4,987
Estimated loan payment$175
229borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$59,842 vs. $56,359

$3,483 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$167,980 median wageCA estimate · 9,400 jobs · 11-2032$125,550–$222,310 middle 50% of CA wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$135,000 median wageCA estimate · 3,140 jobs · 25-1122$102,290–$186,490 middle 50% of CA wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeWriters and Authors$86,480 median wageCA estimate · 8,390 jobs · 27-3043$75,530–$127,870 middle 50% of CA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$98,030 median wageCA estimate · 14,830 jobs · 27-3041$71,090–$136,820 middle 50% of CA wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Specialists$85,030 median wageCA estimate · 32,710 jobs · 27-3031$64,460–$121,180 middle 50% of CA wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 median wageU.S. estimate · 4,140 jobs · 27-3023-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 median wageU.S. estimate · 1,620 jobs · 27-3011-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$135,870 median wageCA estimate · 5,430 jobs · 11-2033$106,910–$192,290 middle 50% of CA wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedia and Communication Workers, All Other$102,630 median wageCA estimate · 9,940 jobs · 27-3099$63,530–$105,660 middle 50% of CA wages+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFundraisers$79,710 median wageCA estimate · 12,860 jobs · 13-1131$62,360–$101,930 middle 50% of CA 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
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.

Berkeley, CA

University of California, Berkeley

$15,770 higher earnings · $5,320 less debt

Earnings
$75,612
Debt
$11,180
Annual net price
$13,481
View outcomes →
San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

$15,381 higher earnings · $1,572 less debt

Earnings
$75,223
Debt
$14,928
Annual net price
$16,665
View outcomes →
Santa Barbara, CA

University of California, Santa Barbara

$13,134 higher earnings · $3,482 less debt

Earnings
$72,976
Debt
$13,018
Annual net price
$16,109
View outcomes →
Davis, CA

University of California, Davis

$12,936 higher earnings · $3,500 less debt

Earnings
$72,778
Debt
$13,000
Annual net price
$14,741
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

162 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.

Calculate my payoff →