Communication and Media Studiesat Emerson College
Graduates earn $44,108/yr in their first year — about 25.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $566K; scenarios range from $514K to $577K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Emerson College
Emerson College Communication and Media Studies graduates command $44,108/yr out of the gate, well above the $35,147 national median. That 25% premium suggests the program's reputation carries real labor-market weight.
An earnings multiple of 2.6x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.
AI risk is moderate — 55% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $23,717 debt-to-$44,108 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
At #317 out of 613 programs, Emerson College's financial outcomes for Communication and Media Studies trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $44,108 to $62,654 shows 42% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Emerson College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Communication and Media Studies
How Emerson College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Emerson College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Emerson College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Communication and Media Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Communication and Media Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Communication and Media Studies at Emerson College
How does Emerson College's Communication and Media Studies program score?
This program scores 35/100 — on the lower end for Communication and Media Studies. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Communication and Media Studies to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Communication and Media Studies careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 55% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.