Communication & Media Studies at Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
47
Optimistic
47
Base Case
37
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,836/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (65% exposed)
Job Market Medium (25,900 openings/yr)
ROI 18.5x earnings multiple (8.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #2 of 16 Communication & Journalism programs Top 25%

Program Analysis

Farmingdale's strength comes from its location and practical focus. While the earnings might seem modest at first, remember you're graduating from a SUNY school, likely with less debt than private college peers. The real value is your proximity to the New York City media market. You can intern at major ad agencies, PR firms, and media companies in Manhattan while living more affordably on Long Island. This program emphasizes hands-on skills for a regional job market, preparing you for roles in corporate communications, social media management, and marketing for the countless businesses headquartered in the tri-state area. Given the high AI risk in content creation, your key advice is this: focus your coursework and internships on strategy, client management, and multimedia production—skills that require human judgment and are harder to automate. Your network will be your greatest asset.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Communication & Media Studies graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $662K $635K $553K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.3x 18.5x 16.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.9x 8.6x 7.5x
Probability of Field Employment 46% 39% 26%
DegreeOutlook Score 47 47 37

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$34,304
Out-of-state: $73,944 (8.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$36,692
-7% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,882
4.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$69,211
105% growth from Year 1

About Farmingdale State College

With a 69% acceptance rate, Farmingdale State College is moderately selective, enrolling 9,117 students in Farmingdale, NY.

See all programs and financial aid at Farmingdale State College →

Top Career Paths

Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr
Editors $75,260/yr
Writers and authors $72,270/yr
View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Communication & Media Studies at Other Schools

Other Majors at Farmingdale State College

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication & Media Studies at Farmingdale State College?
A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Communication & Media Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Communication & Media Studies careers?
With 65% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $553,043 in decade earnings vs $661,680 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes Farmingdale State College's Communication & Media Studies program stand out?
Ranked #2 of 16 programs nationally, Farmingdale State College lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →