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Communication and Media Studies at Randolph-Macon College

Ashland, VA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
35 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
36
Optimistic
35
Base Case
27
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,328/yr (15% vs median)
AI Risk High (55% exposed)
Job Market Large (83,300 openings/yr)
ROI 3.0x earnings multiple
Ranked #326 of 613 Communication and Media Studies programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $582K $571K $517K
Earnings Multiple 3.0x 3.0x 2.7x
Probability of Field Employment 46% 40% 29%
DegreeOutlook Score 36 35 27

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$192,008
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$111,036
42% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
8.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$62,066
54% growth from Year 1

About Randolph-Macon College

Randolph-Macon College has a 83% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with a smaller student body of 1,489 in Ashland, VA. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $111,036 — 42% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Randolph-Macon College →

Top Career Paths

Public relations managers $138,520/yr
Fundraising managers $123,480/yr
Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr
View all 10 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 613 schools offering Communication and Media Studies →

Communication and Media Studies at Other Schools

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($62,183) Cornell University ($62,182) Ashford University ($58,089) CUNY Graduate School and University Center ($57,782) Boston College ($55,162) University of Maryland Global Campus ($53,513) University of Pennsylvania ($53,022) Villanova University ($52,294)

Other Majors at Randolph-Macon College

Business/Commerce, General ($51,366) Accounting and Related Services ($49,557) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($43,825) Political Science and Government ($41,684) Sociology ($39,656) Psychology, General ($35,967) Biology, General ($33,361) English Language and Literature, General ($27,110)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Communication and Media Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication and Media Studies at Randolph-Macon College?
A score of 35/100 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 $516,987 in decade earnings vs $582,242 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →