Communication and Media Studies

Bachelor's degree · California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA

CIP 09.01

$62,183Median earnings 1 year after graduating
$75,223Median earnings 4 years after
$67,009Median earnings 5 years after
$14,857Median federal debt
71Graduates per year

How this program compares

Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in Communication and Media Studies at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median of $62,183 one year after completing the program. Nationally, bachelor's degree graduates in this field earn a median of $56,359 four years after graduating (middle half: $39,575–$76,115). Median debt is $14,857, about 24% of first-year earnings – a manageable level by common guidelines.

Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's degree) at other California schools

CollegeEarnings (1 yr)Median debt
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara
$51,720$17,832
Pepperdine University
Malibu
$48,398$19,500
University of Southern California
Los Angeles
$47,651$15,875
DeVry University-California
Ontario
$47,622$45,000
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
$46,598$13,000
Chapman University
Orange
$44,601$18,777
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley
$43,696$11,100
University of California-Davis
Davis
$42,569$13,000
California Baptist University
Riverside
$42,300$25,000
Westmont College
Santa Barbara
$41,225$23,250
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles
$41,113$17,750
San Francisco State University
San Francisco
$40,790$13,703
University of San Diego
San Diego
$40,776$24,000
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego
$40,138$21,500
California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo
$40,109$13,429

Highest-paying Communication and Media Studies programs nationwide →

Other programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Frequently asked questions

How much do Communication and Media Studies graduates from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo make?

The median salary is $62,183 one year after graduation and $67,009 after five years.

How much student debt do graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed federal loans owe a median of $14,857.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release (Field of Study data). Earnings are for graduates who received federal financial aid.