U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 32% 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 $31,735. College Scorecard.
Communications at Virginia colleges
Every Virginia 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 Virginia | $76,243 | $21,230 | $21,565 | 96% |
| 2 | Roanoke College | $76,198 | $26,975 | $24,503 | 67% |
| 3 | James Madison University | $66,436 | $21,502 | $23,322 | 80% |
| 4 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $66,106 | $20,613 | $24,953 | 86% |
| 5 | Randolph-Macon College | $61,867 | $27,000 | $27,866 | 70% |
| 6 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $59,968 | $24,000 | $23,433 | 63% |
| 7 | Radford University | $59,932 | $25,250 | $14,578 | 49% |
| 8 | Christopher Newport University | $57,254 | $25,000 | $23,015 | 72% |
| 9 | Liberty University | $54,911 | $23,250 | $29,357 | 65% |
| 10 | Longwood University | $53,631 | $26,000 | $19,066 | 61% |
| 11 | Bridgewater College | $53,615 | $26,000 | $17,800 | 53% |
| 12 | University of Lynchburg | $46,733 | — | $22,235 | 57% |
| 13 | Virginia Union University | $42,376 | $31,000 | $13,235 | 34% |
| 14 | Regent University | $41,335 | $23,750 | $19,923 | 57% |
| 15 | Virginia State University | $40,896 | $28,000 | $15,840 | 39% |
14 more Virginia 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 JMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About JMU
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 80% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,954
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at JMU
- Writing$57,179
JMU Communications questions
How much do JMU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of James Madison University earn a median $66,436 four years after graduating and $42,769 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do JMU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of James Madison University is $21,502, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Where does JMU rank for Communications in Virginia?
Of 15 Virginia colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, James Madison University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Virginia at $76,243.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $59,580 in the Harrisonburg, VA 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: “James Madison University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/james-madison-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).