Communication and Media Studies
16 schools compared · Average earnings $28,401/yr
Schools Offering
16
Avg Grad Earnings
$28,401/yr
Avg TradeSchoolWorth Score
33/100
AI-Proof Rating
Resilient
46% of tasks AI-shielded
Best Schools for Communication and Media Studies
Top 16 schools ranked by TradeSchoolWorth Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and AI-proof analysis.
| # | School | Score | Earnings | AI-Proof | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH |
51 44–55 |
$32,284/yr | Moderate | 55.6x |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA |
49 42–53 |
$42,321/yr | Moderate | 27.8x |
| 3 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College Blue Ash, OH |
49 42–52 |
$38,767/yr | Moderate | 26.7x |
| 4 | Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN |
46 40–49 |
$27,798/yr | Moderate | 42.7x |
| 5 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH |
45 38–48 |
$38,767/yr | Moderate | 13.3x |
| 6 | Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem, PA |
45 38–49 |
$30,471/yr | Moderate | 37.8x |
| 7 | Onondaga Community College Syracuse, NY |
42 36–45 |
$29,915/yr | Moderate | 23.8x |
| 8 | Nassau Community College Garden City, NY |
42 35–46 |
$29,016/yr | Moderate | 30.8x |
| 9 | Monroe Community College Rochester, NY |
41 33–46 |
$27,123/yr | Moderate | 36.3x |
| 10 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY |
40 33–44 |
$26,437/yr | Moderate | 33.4x |
| 11 | Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA |
40 32–45 |
$24,794/yr | Moderate | 38.0x |
| 12 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL |
37 30–41 |
$28,447/yr | Moderate | 13.5x |
| 13 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College Long Island City, NY |
37 30–43 |
$23,307/yr | Moderate | 34.0x |
| 14 | UCNJ Union College of Union County NJ Cranford, NJ |
36 28–41 |
$21,484/yr | Moderate | 32.1x |
| 15 | Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie, NY |
34 26–41 |
$17,585/yr | Moderate | 32.9x |
| 16 | County College of Morris Randolph, NJ |
33 24–46 |
$15,905/yr | Moderate | 41.4x |
Highest Earning Communication and Media Studies Programs
Schools where Communication and Media Studies graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $42,321/yr | 49 | Moderate |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | $38,767/yr | 49 | Moderate |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | $38,767/yr | 45 | Moderate |
| Sinclair Community College | $32,284/yr | 51 | Moderate |
| Northampton County Area Community College | $30,471/yr | 45 | Moderate |
| Onondaga Community College | $29,915/yr | 42 | Moderate |
| Nassau Community College | $29,016/yr | 42 | Moderate |
| Full Sail University | $28,447/yr | 37 | Moderate |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | $27,798/yr | 46 | Moderate |
| Monroe Community College | $27,123/yr | 41 | Moderate |
Best ROI for Communication and Media Studies
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Communication and Media Studies.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinclair Community College | 55.6x | $32,284/yr | 51 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | 42.7x | $27,798/yr | 46 |
| County College of Morris | 41.4x | $15,905/yr | 33 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | 38.0x | $24,794/yr | 40 |
| Northampton County Area Community College | 37.8x | $30,471/yr | 45 |
| Monroe Community College | 36.3x | $27,123/yr | 41 |
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College | 34.0x | $23,307/yr | 37 |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | 33.4x | $26,437/yr | 40 |
| Dutchess Community College | 32.9x | $17,585/yr | 34 |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County NJ | 32.1x | $21,484/yr | 36 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Communication and Media Studies graduates earn?
Across 16 schools, Communication and Media Studies graduates earn an average of $28,401 per year in their first year after completing the program. Earnings range from $15,905 to $42,321 depending on the school.
How AI-proof is a career in Communication and Media Studies?
Communication and Media Studies is rated "Resilient" for AI resilience, with 46% of job tasks being hands-on work shielded from AI automation. This means relatively few career tasks in this field remain hands-on work that AI cannot replicate.
Which school has the best Communication and Media Studies program?
Based on the TradeSchoolWorth Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), Sinclair Community College ranks #1 for Communication and Media Studies with a score of 51/100 and graduate earnings of $32,284/yr.
Is Communication and Media Studies worth it?
On average, Communication and Media Studies graduates earn 32.5x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.
About This Data
This page aggregates Communication and Media Studies trade programs across 16 schools using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034), and AI resilience research from OpenAI and academic institutions.
The TradeSchoolWorth Score (0–100) combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and return on investment. Each school's program page includes three scenarios (strong growth, base case, conservative) showing 10-year earnings projections.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2026.