Home Schools University of Washington-Bothell Campus Communication and Media Studies
Communications · Communication and Media Studies Rank #17 of 613

Communication and Media Studiesat University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Graduates earn $44,638/yr in their first year — about 27.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $597K; scenarios range from $536K to $613K depending on AI disruption.

Bothell, WA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
54 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$44,638
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.6x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$597K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Washington-Bothell Campus

First-year earnings of $44,638 put University of Washington-Bothell Campus's Communication and Media Studies program 27% above the national median of $35,147 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

The 11.9x 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 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $44,638 far exceeding the $15,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #17 out of 613 programs, University of Washington-Bothell Campus's Communication and Media Studies program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $44,638 to $68,260 over five years (53% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$536K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$597K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple11.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$613K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple12.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington-Bothell Campus's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Communication and Media Studies graduates typically work

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.

1
Public relations managers
+5.0% 10-yr growth · 6,600 openings/yr
$138,520/yr
High
2
Fundraising managers
+4.2% 10-yr growth · 3,600 openings/yr
$123,480/yr
High
3
Communications teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$77,800/yr
Moderate
4
Editors
+0.6% 10-yr growth · 9,800 openings/yr
$75,260/yr
High
5
Writers and authors
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 13,400 openings/yr
$72,270/yr
Very High
6
Media and communication workers, all other
+2.7% 10-yr growth · 3,000 openings/yr
$71,770/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Communication and Media Studies

How University of Washington-Bothell Campus stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
61
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
14.1x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
50
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
2.4x
ROI
Ashford University
CA · Private for-profit
47
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
CUNY Graduate School and University Center
NY · Public
61
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
19.7x
ROI
Boston College
MA · Private nonprofit
46
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Also at University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Other top programs at University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington-Bothell Campus, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Communication and Media Studies at University of Washington-Bothell Campus

How does University of Washington-Bothell Campus's Communication and Media Studies program score?

This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Communication and Media Studies graduates.

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.

Why does University of Washington-Bothell Campus rank so high for Communication and Media Studies?

The #17 ranking out of 613 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.