Communication and Media Studies graduates from The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn $48,212 median salary — below the national average for this program. Median debt: $20,147.
Communication and Media Studies at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Communication and Media Studies at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga 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 107 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $48,212 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 below the national average for this program. Across all programs at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, the mean median-earnings figure is $64,587, 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 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is $20,147, which translates to roughly $168 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 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 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $131,034 | $61,063 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $121,621 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $113,297 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $106,796 | $29,420 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $92,900 | $24,570 |
| Chemical Engineering | $92,511 | — |
| Psychology, General | $91,747 | $28,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $91,615 | $18,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $91,432 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $89,407 | $20,841 |
View all 45 programs at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga →
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.