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Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,324/yr (16% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (144,300 openings/yr)

ROI 13.0x earnings multiple (6.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #21 of 140 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$510K	$508K	$473K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.1x	13.0x	12.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.0x	6.0x	5.6x
Probability of Field Employment	48%	42%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	48	47	43

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$38,912

Out-of-state: $85,088 (6.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$58,436

-50% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,625

6.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$49,552

36% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of Northern Iowa's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates start at $36,324/yr — above the $31,253 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Radio, Television, and Digital Communication programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 7% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $18,625 represents roughly 6 months of the $36,324 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #21 of 140 nationally, this is a top-5% Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Earnings grow from $36,324 to $49,552 over five years — a 36% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About University of Northern Iowa

A 94% acceptance rate means University of Northern Iowa is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 7,599 in Cedar Falls, IA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Northern Iowa →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

Web and digital interface designers $98,090/yr

Producers and directors $83,480/yr

View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of Northern Iowa

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 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of Northern Iowa?

A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Radio, Television, and Digital Communication careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $473,386 in decade earnings vs $509,508 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes University of Northern Iowa's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program stand out?

Ranked #21 of 140 programs nationally, University of Northern Iowa 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 →