# Communication and Media Studies

> A program that focuses on the comprehensive study of communication, and that spans the study of mass communication/media studies, old and new media technologies, social and political applications, and speech communication and rhetoric. Includes instruction in interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural communication; theories of communication; critical thinking, argumentation, and persuasion; written communication; printed, electronic, and digital media; rhetorical tradition and criticism; media, society, and culture; consequences and effects of mass media; media social science and criticism; and quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/communication-and-media-studies
- CIP code: 09.01 (Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs)
- Colleges offering it: 1,075 at its most common degree level
- Value ranking: https://www.collegesref.com/best-colleges/communications

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 146 | $43,490 | $47,296 | $16,125 |
| Associate's | 306 | $30,420 | $44,269 | $10,197 |
| Bachelor's | 1,075 | $41,958 | $53,825 | $20,255 |
| Master's | 303 | $56,486 | $70,534 | $33,085 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | $85,775 | $68,613 | not reported |
| Doctoral | 80 | $65,002 | $79,099 | $138,500 |
| First professional | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 69 | not reported | $98,037 | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Philadelphia, PA | $114,266 | not reported |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Evanston, IL | $93,541 | $19,500 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Ithaca, NY | $88,463 | $10,000 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Santa Clara, CA | $84,206 | $19,000 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Chestnut Hill, MA | $83,586 | $18,967 |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Villanova, PA | $81,497 | $21,500 |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Boston, MA | $80,306 | $17,750 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Boston, MA | $80,191 | $23,245 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Ann Arbor, MI | $79,648 | $19,500 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Washington, DC | $79,112 | not reported |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Public Relations Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/public-relations-managers): $146,910 median pay
- [Fundraising Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fundraising-managers): $125,470 median pay
- [Communications Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/communications-teachers-postsecondary): $78,580 median pay
- [Editors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/editors): $77,920 median pay
- [Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/poets-lyricists-and-creative-writers): $76,910 median pay
- [Writers and Authors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/writers-and-authors): $76,910 median pay
- [Public Relations Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/public-relations-specialists): $74,750 median pay
- [Media and Communication Workers, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/media-and-communication-workers-all-other): $73,620 median pay
- [Fundraisers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fundraisers): $72,550 median pay
- [News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/news-analysts-reporters-and-journalists): $62,200 median pay
- [Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/broadcast-announcers-and-radio-disc-jockeys): $47,340 median pay

## More in Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

- [Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/public-relations-advertising-and-applied-communication): 450 colleges
- [Journalism](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/journalism): 385 colleges
- [Radio, Television, and Digital Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/radio-television-and-digital-communication): 378 colleges
- [Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/communication-journalism-and-related-programs-other): 75 colleges
- Publishing: 12 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/