Bachelor's+5% vs national median2,998 grads tracked
Communication and Media Studies at State University of New York at Buffalo
Ranked 54th of 307 bachelor's programs in Communication and Media Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$40,983
middle 50%: $29,678 – $52,850
Median · 5 years out
$61,394
middle 50%: $45,796 – $82,739
Median · 10 years out
$80,928
middle 50%: $58,726 – $112,213
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
SUNY Buffalo's Communication and Media Studies program offers a median first-year salary of $41k. Earnings reach $61k at five years and $81k 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
6.9 yrs
≈ $8,046 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Houston
$62,528 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan State University
$62,349 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$62,246 · 5 yrs out
University of Hartford
$62,075 · 5 yrs out
Radford University
$61,994 · 5 yrs out
Fitchburg State University
$61,879 · 5 yrs out
SUNY Cortland
$61,332 · 5 yrs out
Christopher Newport University
$61,241 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$61,202 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$61,040 · 5 yrs out
University of Northwestern- St Paul
$61,003 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston - Victoria
$61,003 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at State University of New York at Buffalo
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$174,817 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$170,712 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$164,239 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,500 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$153,130 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$143,491 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$141,998 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$137,588 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$131,463 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,606 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$113,140 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$109,745 · 5 yrs out
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