Bachelor's+14% vs national median8,614 grads tracked
Communication and Media Studies at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Ranked 20th of 307 bachelor's programs in Communication and Media Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$43,832
middle 50%: $32,148 – $56,092
Median · 5 years out
$66,714
middle 50%: $49,312 – $90,924
Median · 10 years out
$89,367
middle 50%: $61,198 – $132,297
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
Communication and Media Studies majors at UNC-Chapel Hill start with $44k median earnings. Ten-year median salaries reach $89k.
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
6.3 yrs
≈ $7,413 total interest
Same major at other universities
Saint John's University
$67,226 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Boulder
$67,162 · 5 yrs out
Texas Tech University
$67,110 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Arlington
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$66,946 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$66,886 · 5 yrs out
Quinnipiac University
$66,514 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$66,443 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University - Global Campus
$66,438 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Albany
$65,674 · 5 yrs out
College of Saint Benedict
$65,554 · 5 yrs out
Sacred Heart University
$65,045 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$214,723 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$192,150 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$178,780 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$167,515 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$151,181 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$150,648 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$147,757 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$140,602 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$127,840 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$125,175 · 5 yrs out
Journalism (Bachelor's)
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Library Science (Doctorate)
$121,393 · 5 yrs out
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