Communication and Media Studies graduates from West Valley College earn $65,280 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Communication and Media Studies at West Valley College
Saratoga, California • Associate's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Communication and Media Studies at West Valley College
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for West Valley 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 63 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at West Valley College, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $65,280 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 $43,916 across all institutions offering Communication and Media Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at West Valley College, the mean median-earnings figure is $55,698, 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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| West Valley College (this school) | $65,280 | — |
| College of San Mateo | $65,120 | — |
| Evergreen Valley College | $63,835 | — |
| Skyline College | $61,426 | — |
| San Diego City College | $60,716 | — |
| Salt Lake Community College | $56,408 | — |
| San Diego Mesa College | $56,321 | — |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | $55,995 | $17,392 |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | $55,995 | $17,392 |
| Orange Coast College | $53,829 | — |
Other Programs at West Valley College
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $72,333 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies (current) | $65,280 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $61,612 | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $56,438 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $52,708 | — |
| Sociology | $51,818 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,981 | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $49,933 | — |
| Psychology, General | $41,180 | — |
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.