WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's-16% vs national median67 grads tracked

Communication and Media Studies at Macalester College

Ranked 240th of 307 bachelor's programs in Communication and Media Studies by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$34,351
middle 50%: $22,972 – $47,119
Median · 5 years out
$48,791
middle 50%: $32,639 – $55,817
Median · 10 years out
n/a
not enough graduates to report

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Communication and Media Studies (bachelor's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of Macalester College's bachelor's program in Communication and Media Studies earn a median $34,351 one year after graduating, rising to $48,791 by year five. Five years out, earnings run 16% below the national median of $58,421 for this field, ranking 240th of 307 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
9.1 yrs
≈ $10,435 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of Central Oklahoma
$49,004 · 5 yrs out
Wright State University
$48,898 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University-Pueblo
$48,829 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - East
$48,829 · 5 yrs out
Columbia College
$48,829 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois at Springfield
$48,823 · 5 yrs out
Eureka College
$48,715 · 5 yrs out
Western Carolina University
$48,708 · 5 yrs out
University of Toledo
$48,637 · 5 yrs out
University of Southern Maine
$48,604 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
$48,603 · 5 yrs out
University of South Carolina Beaufort
$48,487 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Macalester College

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$121,630 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$121,630 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$99,879 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$99,879 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$94,989 · 5 yrs out
Physics (Bachelor's)
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's)
$68,022 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Bachelor's)
$64,005 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$61,737 · 5 yrs out
Education (Bachelor's)
$61,545 · 5 yrs out
Education, General (Bachelor's)
$61,545 · 5 yrs out
International/Globalization Studies (Bachelor's)
$58,734 · 5 yrs out

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