Communication and Media Studies graduates from Purdue University-Main Campus earn $84,920 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $34,280.
Communication and Media Studies at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Communication and Media Studies at Purdue University-Main Campus
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Purdue University-Main Campus and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Communication and Media Studies at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 194 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Purdue University-Main Campus, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $84,920 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $60,891 across all institutions offering Communication and Media Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Purdue University-Main Campus, the mean median-earnings figure is $78,065, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Communication and Media Studies graduates at Purdue University-Main Campus is $34,280, which translates to roughly $286 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Communication and Media Studies at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $120,003 | $73,250 |
| Northwestern University | $116,101 | $55,813 |
| Johns Hopkins University | $107,409 | $39,737 |
| Northeastern University | $97,115 | — |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs | $97,115 | — |
| American University | $94,424 | $51,250 |
| University of Southern California | $91,873 | $70,426 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $88,174 | — |
| Wayne State University | $87,918 | $33,381 |
| University of Florida | $86,823 | $29,671 |
Other Programs at Purdue University-Main Campus
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | $155,217 | — |
| Computer Science | $146,685 | $19,136 |
| Engineering, Other | $140,404 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $140,205 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $137,523 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $135,033 | $99,174 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $133,021 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $132,747 | $41,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $131,275 | $32,946 |
| Veterinary Medicine | $123,596 | $113,597 |
Other Schools with Communication and Media Studies
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.