OBSERVED EARNINGS · LIKE-FOR-LIKE CATEGORIESHighest-paying majors
National median earnings four years after completion, keeping field and credential level visible.
Arts, Media & Humanities14 ranked field-and-credential categories with at least 10 earnings observations
1Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationMaster's Degree · 30 programs$81,2982Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationMaster's Degree · 20 programs$79,2423JournalismMaster's Degree · 22 programs$72,7604Design and Applied ArtsMaster's Degree · 21 programs$69,9305Communication and Media StudiesMaster's Degree · 61 programs$68,4046Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesMaster's Degree · 35 programs$67,3327Arts, Entertainment, and Media ManagementMaster's Degree · 21 programs$64,8198English Language and Literature, GeneralMaster's Degree · 43 programs$61,2699Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesMaster's Degree · 76 programs$57,11610HistoryMaster's Degree · 36 programs$56,36111Film/Video and Photographic ArtsMaster's Degree · 22 programs$52,72912Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftMaster's Degree · 42 programs$52,71313Fine and Studio ArtsMaster's Degree · 60 programs$48,76314MusicMaster's Degree · 98 programs$47,357Field families are reproducible groupings of federal two-digit CIP subject codes. Rankings require at least 10 programs with reported year-4 earnings; missing or suppressed values are not replaced with zero.