Communication and Media Studiesat Nebraska Wesleyan University
Graduates earn $41,188/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $484K; scenarios range from $455K to $483K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Nebraska Wesleyan University
Graduates earn $41,188/yr, edging above the $35,147 national average for Communication and Media Studies — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
The financial case is thin at 2.9x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
Some AI exposure exists in Communication and Media Studies's typical career paths, with 55% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $24,704 represents roughly 7 months of the $41,188 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #348 of 613 Communication and Media Studies programs, Nebraska Wesleyan University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
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 Nebraska Wesleyan University'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 Nebraska Wesleyan University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Nebraska Wesleyan University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Nebraska Wesleyan University, 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 Nebraska Wesleyan University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication and Media Studies at Nebraska Wesleyan University?
A score of 34/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Communication and Media Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Communication and Media Studies careers?
With 55% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $454,814 in decade earnings vs $483,257 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.