U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 141 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% 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 $28,367. College Scorecard.
GVSU 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 GVSU'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 | $12,272 | $54,242 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $11,902 | $52,607 | 3.9 years |
| $48–75k | $12,861 | $56,846 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $16,609 | $73,412 | 5.4 years |
| $110k+ | $22,534 | $99,600 | 7.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (45% 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 ($46,938) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,527 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $79,648 | $20,376 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $60,807 | $26,750 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Wayne State University | $57,335 | $30,500 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 4 | Oakland University | $55,662 | $24,125 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 5 | Central Michigan University | $55,353 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 6 | Hope College | $55,166 | $27,000 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 7 | Albion College | $54,300 | $27,000 | $14,301 | 62% |
| 8 | Alma College | $53,947 | — | $20,694 | 63% |
| 9 | Saginaw Valley State University | $53,825 | $28,000 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 10 | Eastern Michigan University | $52,805 | $29,102 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $52,703 | $27,200 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 12 | Adrian College | $52,309 | — | $25,368 | 48% |
| 13 | Rochester University | $51,856 | $26,166 | $21,456 | 44% |
| 14 | Western Michigan University | $51,446 | $26,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 15 | Cornerstone University | $48,923 | $25,125 | $20,301 | 62% |
| 16 | Aquinas College | $48,075 | $22,232 | $16,626 | 65% |
| 17 | University of Michigan-Flint | $47,959 | $30,250 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 18 | Northern Michigan University | $47,875 | $27,000 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 19 | Grand Valley State University | $46,938 | $26,000 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 20 | Calvin University | $43,138 | $23,250 | $22,992 | 74% |
12 more Michigan 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 GVSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About GVSU
- Acceptance rate: 83% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 67% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,118
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at GVSU
GVSU Communications questions
How much do GVSU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median $46,938 four years after graduating and $32,755 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do GVSU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of Grand Valley State University is $26,000, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is GVSU a good school for Communications in Michigan?
On pay, Communications graduates of Grand Valley State University earn $46,938 four years out, $5,816 below the median for the same major across 20 Michigan colleges ($52,754) and $7,345 below the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does GVSU rank for Communications in Michigan?
Of 20 Michigan colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, Grand Valley State University ranks 19th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $79,648.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $59,770 in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 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: “Grand Valley State University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/grand-valley-state-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).