Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies is a major field of study, with over 1,528,950 professionals currently working in related careers. With 1,528,950 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Communication and Media Studies and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$7,540 Median In-State Public
$36,030 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Communication and Media Studies majors are, on average, $7,540 for in-state public colleges, and $36,030 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Communication and Media Studies programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Communication and Media Studies from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Communication and Media Studies.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 76,996 |
| 2 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 68,619 |
| 3 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 5 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,095 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Communication and Media Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haskell Indian Nations University | KS | $600 |
| 2 | Copper Mountain Community College | CA | $1,114 |
| 3 | Antelope Valley Community College District | CA | $1,124 |
| 4 | Woodland Community College | CA | $1,124 |
| 5 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,126 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Communication and Media Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada College | CA | $10 |
| 2 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 3 | Coahoma Community College | MS | $560 |
| 4 | Henry Ford College | MI | $576 |
| 5 | Oxnard College | CA | $659 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Communication and Media Studies programs.
Graduation Rates
58.49% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
59.39% Average Graduation Rate
95 Institutions Reporting
48.47% - 70.60% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Communication and Media Studies programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Communication and Media Studies graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$68,213 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Communication and Media Studies majors is $68,213.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Communication and Media Studies majors.
Occupations by Share
1,528,950 2023 Workforce
The number of Communication and Media Studies graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Communication and Media Studies by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Communication and Media Studies degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Communication and Media Studies degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Communication and Media Studies in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Communication and Media Studies.
Age distribution for Communication and Media Studies degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Communication and Media Studies degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Communication and Media Studies degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Communication and Media Studies are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Communication and Media Studies.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Communication and Media Studies field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Communication and Media Studies majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Communication and Media Studies majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Communication and Media Studies majors.
About
Communication and Media Studies
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Communication and Media Studies.
CIP Code
00.0901 - Communication and Media Studies
Insights and Analysis
Major Career Field: With over 1,528,950 professionals, Communication and Media Studies represents one of the largest career fields in the United States. This substantial workforce size indicates strong employment opportunities and stability for graduates.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.