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Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $27,278/yr (-13% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (144,300 openings/yr)

ROI 18.0x earnings multiple (6.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #49 of 140 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$513K	$510K	$475K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	18.1x	18.0x	16.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.8x	6.7x	6.3x
Probability of Field Employment	48%	42%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	41	41	39

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$28,380

Out-of-state: $75,900 (6.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$30,396

-7% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$14,244

6.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$46,521

71% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $27,278 track close to the $31,253 national median for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 18.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $14,244 debt-to-$27,278 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #49 out of 140 programs, California State University-Northridge's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $27,278 to $46,521 over five years (71% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Northridge

California State University-Northridge has a 93% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with 32,357 students enrolled in Northridge, CA. With 56% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Northridge →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

Web and digital interface designers $98,090/yr

Producers and directors $83,480/yr

View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Other Schools

Other Majors at California State University-Northridge

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Northridge's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program score?

This program scores 41/100 — on the lower end for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Radio, Television, and Digital Communication to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Radio, Television, and Digital Communication careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →