U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 110 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 56% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $27,042. College Scorecard.
ETSU Communications: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Communications nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ETSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,433 | $54,457 | 7.7 years |
| $30–48k | $14,289 | $62,586 | 8.9 years |
| $48–75k | $16,400 | $71,832 | 10.2 years |
| $75–110k | $20,588 | $90,175 | 12.8 years |
| $110k+ | $21,193 | $92,825 | 13.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (34% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Communications graduates 4 years after graduating ($41,570) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,052 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Communications at Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee college we cover that reports Communications graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King University | $58,770 | — | $22,347 | 48% |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $57,394 | $20,875 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 3 | Lipscomb University | $52,267 | $21,253 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 4 | Belmont University | $48,737 | $22,125 | $33,147 | 71% |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $48,212 | $21,831 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 6 | Carson-Newman University | $46,614 | $20,235 | $20,251 | 53% |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee State University | $45,155 | $24,329 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $44,231 | $24,481 | $10,701 | 53% |
| 9 | Milligan University | $44,175 | — | $21,365 | 63% |
| 10 | Lee University | $44,095 | — | $18,878 | 63% |
| 11 | Austin Peay State University | $43,511 | $25,000 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 12 | Tennessee State University | $43,121 | $30,625 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 13 | University of Memphis | $42,605 | $23,381 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 14 | East Tennessee State University | $41,570 | $23,250 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 15 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $36,070 | $21,625 | $16,813 | 53% |
| 16 | Bryan College-Dayton | $32,530 | — | $20,614 | 50% |
11 more Tennessee colleges offer Communications but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Communications graduates
Public relations specialist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Fundraisers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Editors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ETSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ETSU
- Acceptance rate: 86% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $44,859
- Full cost breakdown · all 51 majors · overview
Related majors at ETSU
- Graphic Communications$41,074
- Writing$48,263
ETSU Communications questions
How much do ETSU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median $41,570 four years after graduating and $27,380 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do ETSU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of East Tennessee State University is $23,250, about 56% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is ETSU a good school for Communications in Tennessee?
On pay, Communications graduates of East Tennessee State University earn $41,570 four years out, $2,633 below the median for the same major across 16 Tennessee colleges ($44,203) and $12,713 below the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ETSU rank for Communications in Tennessee?
Of 16 Tennessee colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, East Tennessee State University ranks 14th. The highest is King University at $58,770.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $51,890 in the Johnson City, TN area and $74,750 nationally. Others include fundraisers and editors.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “East Tennessee State University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/east-tennessee-state-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).