COLLEGE SCORECARD · JUNE 10, 2026 FEATURED RELEASEOUTCOMES ARE COHORT MEASURES—NOT A RANKING OR GUARANTEE
COLLEGE OUTCOMELEDGERCOST · COMPLETION · DEBT · EARNINGS
College Scorecard program reportCIP 9.01 · UNITID 147703
Northern Illinois University

Communication and Media Studies

Bachelor's Degree · Dekalb, IL

At Northern Illinois University, the Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree program reported $55,109 median earnings four years after completion and $27,000 median federal debt among 260 working graduates.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 releaseDownload source data ↗

Median earnings$55,109Working graduates four years after completion
Median federal debt$27,000Stafford and Grad PLUS debt for the program cohort
Working graduates260Four-year earnings cohort
Peer records232Same field and credential passing the evidence rule

01 · Published outcomes

How much do Communication and Media Studies graduates at Northern Illinois University earn and borrow?

Four-year median earnings were $55,109, five-year median earnings were $56,644, and median federal debt was $27,000 for the published program cohorts.

Median earnings four years after completion$55,109
Median earnings five years after completion$56,644

Earnings cover graduates who were working and not enrolled. Median debt uses a separate federal borrower cohort and is not a yearly payment.

02 · Same-field context

How does Northern Illinois University’s Communication and Media Studies program compare?

Among 232 published bachelor's degree records in this field, earnings ranked at the 38th percentile and debt was lower than about 11% of peers.

Four-year earnings percentile38th

Higher earnings than about 38% of published same-field, same-credential records.

Debt position11%

Lower median debt than about 11% of published same-field, same-credential records.

Percentiles describe this published peer group; they are not a rating of instruction, selectivity, or individual outcomes.

03 · Comparison records

Which colleges publish Communication and Media Studies for the same credential?

The comparison group contains 232 institution-program records with the same field and credential, at least 75 working graduates, and published earnings and debt.

Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · Bachelor's Degree · 143 working graduates$83,586 earnings · $18,500 debtVillanova UniversityVillanova, PA · Bachelor's Degree · 162 working graduates$81,497 earnings · $26,456 debtBoston UniversityBoston, MA · Bachelor's Degree · 347 working graduates$80,306 earnings · $25,108 debtNortheastern UniversityBoston, MA · Bachelor's Degree · 126 working graduates$80,191 earnings · $23,250 debtUniversity of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Bachelor's Degree · 231 working graduates$79,648 earnings · $20,376 debtFairfield UniversityFairfield, CT · Bachelor's Degree · 91 working graduates$78,081 earnings · $27,000 debtFordham UniversityBronx, NY · Bachelor's Degree · 213 working graduates$77,244 earnings · $25,700 debtUniversity of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA · Bachelor's Degree · 94 working graduates$76,243 earnings · $21,230 debtUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · Bachelor's Degree · 198 working graduates$75,864 earnings · $17,702 debtUniversity of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · Bachelor's Degree · 208 working graduates$75,612 earnings · $11,180 debtMarist UniversityPoughkeepsie, NY · Bachelor's Degree · 294 working graduates$74,726 earnings · $26,000 debtManhattan UniversityRiverdale, NY · Bachelor's Degree · 93 working graduates$74,471 earnings · $26,000 debtUniversity of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD · Bachelor's Degree · 265 working graduates$74,402 earnings · $20,000 debtElon UniversityElon, NC · Bachelor's Degree · 169 working graduates$73,750 earnings · $23,250 debtUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · Bachelor's Degree · 419 working graduates$72,976 earnings · $13,018 debtUniversity of California-DavisDavis, CA · Bachelor's Degree · 309 working graduates$72,778 earnings · $13,000 debtUniversity of ArizonaTucson, AZ · Bachelor's Degree · 238 working graduates$72,758 earnings · $19,750 debtThe University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX · Bachelor's Degree · 158 working graduates$72,210 earnings · $20,500 debt

Open the national Communication and Media Studies field report →

04 · Institution context

Where can I find Northern Illinois University cost and completion data?

The Northern Illinois University institution report publishes school-level net price, completion, retention, undergraduate aid, and debt; those measures use cohorts separate from this program’s earnings and debt cohorts.

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois · Public

Open the institution report →

Answers at a glance

Communication and Media Studies at Northern Illinois University: frequently asked questions

The program FAQ reports $55,109 four-year median earnings, $27,000 median federal debt, 260 working graduates, and 232 same-field peer records.

How much do graduates of this Communication and Media Studies program earn?

Median earnings were $55,109 four years after completion and $56,644 five years after completion for working graduates who were not enrolled.

What is the median federal debt for this Communication and Media Studies program?

The published median federal debt was $27,000 across a reported debt cohort of 245 borrowers.

How is the peer group selected?

Peers share CIP field 9.01 and the Bachelor's Degree credential level, have at least 75 working graduates, and have published earnings and debt medians.