Communication and Media Studiesat The University of Texas at Austin
Graduates earn $43,848/yr in their first year — about 25.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $497K; scenarios range from $464K to $497K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UT Austin
First-year earnings of $43,848 at The University of Texas at Austin come in 25% above the national median of $35,147 for Communication and Media Studies programs.
The 10.6x 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 — 55% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $43,848 far exceeding the $19,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #167 out of 613 programs, The University of Texas at Austin's Communication and Media Studies offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
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 UT Austin'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 UT Austin stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UT Austin
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UT Austin, 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 UT Austin
How does The University of Texas at Austin's Communication and Media Studies program score?
This program scores 43/100 — 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.