U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 33 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% 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 $65,294. College Scorecard.
McDaniel College 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 McDaniel College'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 | $12,210 | $50,672 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $17,261 | $71,633 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $19,796 | $82,153 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $21,408 | $88,843 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $30,694 | $127,380 | 4.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($65,411) minus $36,731 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $28,680 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 Maryland colleges
Every Maryland 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 Maryland-College Park | $74,402 | $20,000 | $15,678 | 89% |
| 2 | Loyola University Maryland | $71,948 | $27,000 | $30,574 | 79% |
| 3 | McDaniel College | $65,411 | $25,000 | $21,916 | 63% |
| 4 | Towson University | $63,292 | $20,309 | $17,413 | 69% |
| 5 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | $60,957 | $24,389 | $16,467 | 70% |
| 6 | Mount St. Mary's University | $57,669 | $26,312 | $22,655 | 65% |
| 7 | Salisbury University | $56,048 | $22,250 | $17,743 | 68% |
| 8 | Goucher College | $52,752 | $26,000 | $22,470 | 57% |
| 9 | Frostburg State University | $48,762 | $27,000 | $16,715 | 50% |
6 more Maryland 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 McDaniel College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About McDaniel College
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 63% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,663
- Full cost breakdown · all 37 majors · overview
Related majors at McDaniel College
- Publishing—
McDaniel College Communications questions
How much do McDaniel College Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of McDaniel College earn a median $65,411 four years after graduating and $32,402 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do McDaniel College Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of McDaniel College is $25,000, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is McDaniel College a good school for Communications in Maryland?
On pay, Communications graduates of McDaniel College earn $65,411 four years out, $4,454 above the median for the same major across 9 Maryland colleges ($60,957) and $11,128 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does McDaniel College rank for Communications in Maryland?
Of 9 Maryland colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, McDaniel College ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Maryland-College Park at $74,402.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $77,570 in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area and $74,750 nationally. Others include fundraisers and editors.
Is McDaniel College the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing McDaniel College with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “McDaniel College Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/mcdaniel-college/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).