Communication and Media Studies at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, PA · Bachelor's Degree · about 9 graduates a year

$34,181
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$55,505
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$56,359
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#285 of 660
Rank by pay
#259 of 660
Rank, wage-adjusted
$25,000
Median federal debt

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona graduates in communication and media studies earn 2% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 45% of one year’s pay at that point.

How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Compares for Communication and Media Studies

All 660 colleges reporting communication and media studies earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA$114,266$116,210#1$53,022
2Northwestern University Evanston, IL$93,541$91,903#2$52,210
3Cornell University Ithaca, NY$88,463$84,198#4$62,182
4Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA$84,206$76,622#11$51,720
5Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA$83,586$73,606#15$55,162
6Villanova University Villanova, PA$81,497$82,883#7$52,294
7Boston University Boston, MA$80,306$70,718#30$47,349
8Northeastern University Boston, MA$80,191$70,617#31$47,465
9Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA$80,191$70,617#32$47,465
10University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI$79,648$83,980#5$50,556
…
282Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Erie, PA$55,505$56,449#256$34,181
283Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington New Kensington, PA$55,505$56,449#257$34,181
284Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre Dallas, PA$55,505$56,449#258$34,181
285Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Altoona, PA$55,505$56,449#259$34,181
286Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver Monaca, PA$55,505$56,449#260$34,181
287Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks Reading, PA$55,505$56,449#261$34,181
288Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA$55,505$56,449#262$34,181

Other Majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Computer and Information Sciences$120,729$84,050#39 of 459
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$98,637$73,941#17 of 99
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$91,032$77,955#325 of 966
Accounting and Related Services$88,192$63,425#134 of 796
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians$81,835$65,043#16 of 23
Civil Engineering$81,403$67,966#169 of 233
Mathematics$77,336$59,629#101 of 309
Political Science and Government$68,918$41,201#134 of 565
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$67,399$30,133#44 of 610
Business/Commerce$65,292$45,110#125 of 271
Biology$64,910$33,417#185 of 841
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$60,193$37,330#63 of 265
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$58,195$37,834#126 of 476
Design and Applied Arts$58,105$43,324#96 of 299
Criminal Justice and Corrections$56,877$37,240#252 of 660
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$53,362$45,795#136 of 680
History$52,871$28,803#185 of 459
English Language and Literature$50,299$29,848#240 of 576
Psychology$49,543$32,408#541 of 1027
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$45,943$34,030#103 of 172
Visual and Performing Arts$45,170$25,702#22 of 68

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona communication and media studies graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $34,181 one year after graduating and $55,505 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona rank for communication and media studies?

Among 660 colleges reporting earnings for communication and media studies graduates, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona ranks #285 by median pay four years after graduation, and #259 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is communication and media studies at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona worth it?

Its graduates earn 2% less than the national median for communication and media studies ($56,359), and the median federal debt at graduation is $25,000.

← All data for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona · Methodology

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.