Communication and Media Studiesat University of Louisiana at Monroe
Graduates earn $21,460/yr in their first year — about 39.0% below the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $547K; scenarios range from $500K to $556K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Louisiana at Monroe
While the national data for this major often reflects high-paying corporate roles in major media markets, your experience at ULM will be deeply tied to the regional economy of northeast Louisiana. The lower earnings figures aren't necessarily a reflection of program quality, but of the local job market where many graduates start their careers. Opportunities will be concentrated in smaller media outlets, local government, healthcare systems like St. Francis or Ochsner LSU Health, and non-profits, which offer valuable experience but have different pay scales than a PR firm in Dallas or Atlanta. The career path here is less about a direct pipeline to a national brand and more about becoming a vital communication professional within the community.
Your key to maximizing this degree is aggressive internship-seeking; look for opportunities in larger nearby markets like Shreveport or even Jackson to build a portfolio that makes you competitive beyond the local area.
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 University of Louisiana at Monroe'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 University of Louisiana at Monroe stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Louisiana at Monroe
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Louisiana at Monroe, 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 University of Louisiana at Monroe
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication and Media Studies at University of Louisiana at Monroe?
A score of 31/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Communication and Media Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Communication and Media Studies at University of Louisiana at Monroe worth the student debt?
Median debt of $23,972 against $21,460/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.
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 $500,240 in decade earnings vs $555,579 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Communication and Media Studies from University of Louisiana at Monroe?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.