Free tool · federal data

What does this major pay at different colleges?

Pick a major, a degree level and a state. You get what graduates of each college's program earned four years after graduating and what they borrowed in federal loans, from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, with the national median for the same program as the yardstick.

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Communications, associate's programs nationwide

Nationally, associate's graduates in Communications earn a median $43,243 four years after graduating. Among 19 programs with federal earnings data, West Valley College (CA) graduates had the highest median, $65,280 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).

Programs with data
19
Highest median
$65,280
National median
$43,243
The link opens this exact comparison.
Communications, associate's programs nationwide: median earnings four years after graduating and median federal debt, in order of earnings.
CollegeStateMedian earnings, 4 yrs aftervs national medianDebt borrowed at this college (median)Add to the side-by-side comparison
West Valley CollegeCA$65,280+51%—Compare
College of San MateoCA$65,120+51%—Compare
San Diego Mesa CollegeCA$56,321+30%—Compare
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusFigure covers 3 campusesOH$55,995+29%$17,392
De Anza CollegeCA$53,738+24%—Compare
College of the CanyonsCA$49,940+15%—Compare
Delaware County Community CollegePA$47,470+10%—Compare
Nassau Community CollegeNY$47,054+9%$10,875Compare
Pasadena City CollegeCA$45,235+5%—Compare
Mt San Antonio CollegeCA$44,550+3%—Compare
Riverside City CollegeCA$44,269about the same—Compare
CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeNY$43,801about the same—Compare
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNY$43,763about the same$8,600Compare
Community College of PhiladelphiaPA$39,860−8%$10,125Compare
Montgomery County Community CollegePA$39,366−9%$11,000Compare
Central New Mexico Community CollegeNM$38,064−12%—
Monroe Community CollegeNY$36,389−16%$9,375Compare
Erie Community CollegeNY$31,535−27%—Compare
Dutchess Community CollegeNY$30,308−30%$8,937Compare

Ordered by median earnings four years after graduating: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality.

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Same major, other degree levels: Bachelor's · Undergraduate certificate · Master's · Doctoral · Graduate certificate

The Communications major guideHow much the college matters, by major

What these numbers are

Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Only programs with at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort are listed, and a multi-state system whose figure pools campuses in several states is left out of state lists. 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. Federal program group: Communication and Media Studies. Earnings reflect who enrolls and where graduates work as well as the program itself.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV).