Communications · University of California-San Diego
How much do University of California-San Diego Communications graduates earn?
University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communication earned a median $67,302 four years after graduating, 19% above the $56,359 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $33,046; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $13,193 in federal loans at this college (about $140 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $14,568 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- Median earnings, 4 years after:
- $67,302
- National median, same program:
- $56,359
- Federal debt borrowed at this college (median):
- $13,193
- Monthly payment, 10-year plan:
- $140
University of California-San Diego, bachelor's in Communications. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20; total including other colleges attended $14,568. College Scorecard, 10 June 2026.
Quick answers
- What do Communications graduates of University of California-San Diego earn?
- University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communications earned a median $67,302 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How much federal debt do Communications graduates of University of California-San Diego have?
- Graduates who borrowed took out a median $13,193 in federal loans at University of California-San Diego (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20); counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was $14,568.
- How does University of California-San Diego compare with the national median for Communications?
- $67,302 is 19% above the $56,359 national median for bachelor's programs in the same field (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How does University of California-San Diego compare with other California Communications programs?
- It is 10% above the $61,136 earned by graduates of the typical California bachelor's program in the field (36 programs, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- Is a Communications degree from University of California-San Diego worth it?
- Federal data cannot decide that for you, but it puts the figures side by side: University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communications earned a median $67,302 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23), and those who borrowed took out a median $13,193 in federal loans there, about $140 a month on a 10-year plan, roughly 2% of the median graduate's monthly earnings before tax (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20).
Communications at University of California-San Diego, by credential
One credential level has federal figures. Federal program group: Communication and Media Studies (CIP 09.01), which includes its related specialties.
| Credential | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings, 1 yr after | Earnings, 4 yrs after | vs national | Debt borrowed at this college | Total debt incl. other colleges | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 522 | $33,046 | $67,302 | +19% | $13,193 | $14,568 | $140/mo |
The one-year and four-year figures describe different graduating classes (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21 and 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23) in different dollars, so the gap between them is not one class's pay growth. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure because too few graduates were measured.
What the two debt figures mean
Federal debt borrowed at this college: the median of the federal loans (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS) that graduates who borrowed took out at this college.
Total federal debt, including other colleges attended: the same graduates' federal loans from every college they attended, counting only loans at the same level as this credential (undergraduate loans for an undergraduate credential, graduate loans for a graduate one).
Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN. Monthly payment is for the debt borrowed at this college. Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation (September 2025), "Cumulative loan debt".
Cite this data
- Statistic
- University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communications earned a median $67,302 four years after graduating, against a national median of $56,359 for the same program and credential.
- Data period
- Graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19 who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled; earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars (255 graduates measured).
- Source
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data (release of 10 June 2026)
- Page
- https://campuspin.com/schools/university-of-california-san-diego/programs/communications
- Suggested citation
- CampusPin (2026). University of California-San Diego Communications: graduate earnings and debt. Data: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study, 10 June 2026. https://campuspin.com/schools/university-of-california-san-diego/programs/communications
Or paste these figures into your page as a small table (departments, admissions, counselors)
Plain HTML with no script and no tracking: each credential's figure with its period and source, and one link back to this page.
How does University of California-San Diego compare with other California Communications programs?
Across the 36 California bachelor's programs in Communications with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $61,136; University of California-San Diego's $67,302 is 10% above that.
| College (bachelor's) | Earnings, 4 yrs after | 1 yr after (later class) | Debt borrowed at this college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara University | $84,206 | $51,720 | $17,832 |
| University of Southern California | $75,864 | $47,651 | $15,875 |
| University of California, Berkeley | $75,612 | $43,696 | $11,100 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $75,223 | $62,183 | $14,857 |
| Chapman University | $73,461 | $44,601 | $18,777 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | $72,976 | $46,598 | $13,000 |
| University of California-Davis | $72,778 | $42,569 | $13,000 |
| Loyola Marymount University | $69,144 | $41,113 | $17,750 |
| University of San Diego | $68,913 | $40,776 | $24,000 |
| Sonoma State University | $68,833 | $32,952 | $17,877 |
The 10 highest of 36 California programs, ordered by one federal measure (median earnings four years after graduating), not a ranking of program quality. Only programs with at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort are listed.
Every Communications program in California. Compare Communications programs and share the result
Questions about Communications at University of California-San Diego
- How much do University of California-San Diego Communications graduates earn?
- University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communication earned a median $67,302 four years after graduating, 19% above the $56,359 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $33,046; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $13,193 in federal loans at this college (about $140 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $14,568 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- How much student debt do University of California-San Diego Communications graduates have?
- University of California-San Diego's bachelor's graduates in Communications who borrowed took out a median $13,193 in federal loans at University of California-San Diego, about $140 a month on a standard 10-year plan (graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20, College Scorecard). Counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was a median $14,568; the difference is loans taken at earlier colleges, which matters most for transfer and RN-to-BSN students. Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN.
- How does University of California-San Diego's Communications program compare with others in California?
- Across the 36 California bachelor's programs in Communications with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $61,136; University of California-San Diego's $67,302 is 10% above that.
Keep going
- University of California-San Diego: cost, admissions and every program
- Communications major guide: what it pays nationally
- Same degree, different paycheck: how much the college matters
- What does Communications pay at other colleges?
Jobs Communications graduates often go into
From the Communicationsmajor guide. Graduates spread across many jobs; these pay figures are for everyone in the job, not for this program's graduates.
Other programs at University of California-San Diego with graduate earnings
- Conservation Science
- Computer Science
- Education
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Modern Languages
- Biology
- Neuroscience
- Mathematics
- Applied Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Economics
- International Relations
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Theater Arts
- Music
- Public Health
- Business Administration
- History
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Earnings reflect who enrolls, where graduates live and the jobs they take, as well as the program itself. Download every program (CSV).
Data sources & methodology
Figures on this page come from the Department of Education's College Scorecard field-of-study file, matched to University of California-San Diego by its federal UNITID.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
Program-level median earnings one and four years after completing, and median federal loan debt at completion, by institution, 4-digit CIP field and credential level.
College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation
How the field-of-study cohorts are built, which graduates are counted, and how small cells are suppressed and perturbed for privacy.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (10 June 2026). University of California-San Diego Communications: graduate earnings and debt. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/university-of-california-san-diego/programs/communications