U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 94 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% 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 $17,454. College Scorecard.
RIC 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 RIC'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 | $6,378 | $29,594 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $6,989 | $32,429 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $8,701 | $40,373 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $12,809 | $59,434 | 5.3 years |
| $110k+ | $15,681 | $72,760 | 6.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (23% 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 ($51,105) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in RI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,225 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 Rhode Island colleges
Every Rhode Island 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 | Roger Williams University | $70,575 | $26,000 | $37,999 | 69% |
| 2 | Bryant University | $68,518 | $27,000 | $41,219 | 80% |
| 3 | University of Rhode Island | $64,520 | $24,887 | $21,440 | 73% |
| 4 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | $51,247 | $25,125 | $31,027 | 55% |
| 5 | Rhode Island College | $51,105 | $25,000 | $9,478 | 48% |
3 more Rhode Island 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 RIC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About RIC
- Acceptance rate: 92% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 48% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,318
- Full cost breakdown · all 69 majors · overview
Related majors at RIC
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Journalism—
- Writing$45,378
RIC Communications questions
How much do RIC Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of Rhode Island College earn a median $51,105 four years after graduating and $34,357 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do RIC Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of Rhode Island College is $25,000, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is RIC a good school for Communications in Rhode Island?
On pay, Communications graduates of Rhode Island College earn $51,105 four years out, $13,415 below the median for the same major across 5 Rhode Island colleges ($64,520) and $3,178 below the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does RIC rank for Communications in Rhode Island?
Of 5 Rhode Island colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, Rhode Island College ranks 5th. The highest is Roger Williams University at $70,575.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $77,210 in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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: “Rhode Island College Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rhode-island-college/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).