Bachelor's+12% vs national median3,211 grads tracked
Communication and Media Studies at State University of New York at Albany
Ranked 24th of 307 bachelor's programs in Communication and Media Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$38,804
middle 50%: $27,791 – $51,252
Median · 5 years out
$65,674
middle 50%: $49,094 – $86,978
Median · 10 years out
$89,583
middle 50%: $63,375 – $125,451
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 graduates from SUNY Albany earn a median of $39k initially. This grows to nearly $90k after ten years.
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
6.7 yrs
≈ $7,950 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$66,946 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$66,886 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$66,714 · 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
College of Saint Benedict
$65,554 · 5 yrs out
Sacred Heart University
$65,045 · 5 yrs out
Marymount University
$64,996 · 5 yrs out
Roanoke College
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$64,747 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$64,735 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at State University of New York at Albany
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,191 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$123,601 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$118,430 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$113,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$103,697 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$103,319 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Doctorate)
$102,295 · 5 yrs out
Public Administration and Social Service Professions (Doctorate)
$98,892 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$95,797 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, Other (Bachelor's)
$95,389 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$94,989 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$94,330 · 5 yrs out
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