What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Communication and Media Studies at Santa Monica College

This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Santa Monica College and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Communication and Media Studies at the associate'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 160 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Santa Monica College, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.

Median graduate earnings of $29,371 represent Treasury-derived wages, deferred compensation, and positive self-employment earnings four years after program completion for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. Compared to the national mean of $44,404 across all institutions offering Communication and Media Studies, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at Santa Monica College, the mean median-earnings figure is $55,289, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.

Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school. Program-level debt and four-year post-completion earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard field-of-study snapshot retrieved in March 2026.