Home Schools Westmont College Communication and Media Studies
Communications · Communication and Media Studies Rank #428 of 613

Communication and Media Studiesat Westmont College

Graduates earn $41,225/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Communication and Media Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $489K; scenarios range from $458K to $488K depending on AI disruption.

Santa Barbara, CA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
30 AT RISK
30
Optimistic
22
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,225
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.3x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$489K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Westmont College

First-year earnings of $41,225 at Westmont College come in 17% above the national median of $35,147 for Communication and Media Studies programs.

The financial case is thin at 2.4x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

Some AI exposure exists in Communication and Media Studies's typical career paths, with 55% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $23,250 represents roughly 7 months of the $41,225 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #428 of 613 Communication and Media Studies programs, Westmont College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $47,236 are relatively flat compared to the $41,225 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

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
$458K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score22/100
Earnings Multiple2.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$489K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score30/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$488K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score30/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Westmont College'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 Westmont College 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
Same state (CA)
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 Westmont College

Other top programs at Westmont College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Westmont College, 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 Westmont College

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Communication and Media Studies at Westmont College?

A score of 30/100 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 $457,880 in decade earnings vs $488,140 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.