Communication and Media Studiesat University of Pennsylvania
Graduates earn $53,022/yr in their first year — about 51.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $695K; scenarios range from $607K to $725K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Pennsylvania
While a communications degree can be a gamble, a diploma from Penn’s Annenberg School is a different beast entirely. The impressive earnings you see aren't just about the curriculum; they're a product of the Ivy League network and a powerful recruiting pipeline. You won't just be competing for local jobs in Philadelphia; you'll be on the radar for top-tier consulting firms, major media companies in New York like Condé Nast or NBCUniversal, and strategic communications roles in Washington D.C. These employers hire for critical thinking and prestige, not just a specific skill set. The high AI risk score is real, though. To future-proof your career, your key move should be to double-major or minor in a quantitative field like data analytics or economics, pairing Annenberg’s theoretical rigor with hard, marketable skills.
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 Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Pennsylvania
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication and Media Studies at University of Pennsylvania?
A score of 48/100 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 $606,732 in decade earnings vs $725,124 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes University of Pennsylvania's Communication and Media Studies program stand out?
Ranked #85 of 613 programs nationally, University of Pennsylvania lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Is University of Pennsylvania a hidden gem for Communication and Media Studies?
After financial aid, the average student pays $124,916 over four years — 53% below the $264,416 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.