Communication and Media Studies graduates from Rutgers University-New Brunswick earn $69,709 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $21,500.
Communication and Media Studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Communication and Media Studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Communication and Media Studies at the bachelor'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 323 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $69,709 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 $50,744 across all institutions offering Communication and Media Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the mean median-earnings figure is $79,953, 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 Rutgers University-New Brunswick is $21,500, which translates to roughly $179 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | $114,266 | $15,000 |
| Northwestern University | $93,541 | $17,687 |
| Cornell University | $88,463 | $14,400 |
| Santa Clara University | $84,206 | $17,832 |
| Boston College | $83,586 | $18,000 |
| Villanova University | $81,497 | $26,228 |
| Boston University | $80,306 | $23,250 |
| Northeastern University | $80,191 | $21,500 |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs | $80,191 | $21,500 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $79,648 | $19,941 |
Other Programs at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | $248,619 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $174,192 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $161,430 | $67,500 |
| Dentistry | $159,660 | $254,122 |
| Biology, General | $157,286 | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | $156,890 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $155,535 | $50,681 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $143,480 | $53,893 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $137,728 | $119,080 |
| Statistics | $127,279 | — |
Other Schools with Communication and Media Studies
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
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.