U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 92 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 45% 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 $69,289. College Scorecard.
SHU 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 SHU'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 | $38,691 | $158,246 | 7.4 years |
| $30–48k | $40,517 | $165,715 | 7.8 years |
| $48–75k | $41,647 | $170,336 | 8.0 years |
| $75–110k | $46,348 | $189,563 | 8.9 years |
| $110k+ | $48,217 | $197,208 | 9.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (68% 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 ($59,068) minus $37,781 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,287 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 Connecticut colleges
Every Connecticut 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 | Fairfield University | $78,081 | $27,000 | $48,095 | 84% |
| 2 | University of Connecticut | $68,542 | $24,068 | $25,097 | 83% |
| 3 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | $68,542 | $24,068 | $10,875 | 53% |
| 4 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point | $68,542 | $24,068 | $13,807 | 62% |
| 5 | University of Connecticut-Stamford | $68,542 | $24,068 | $16,798 | 57% |
| 6 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus | $68,542 | $24,068 | $16,403 | 65% |
| 7 | Quinnipiac University | $63,012 | $26,000 | $40,675 | 76% |
| 8 | University of Hartford | $62,464 | $26,374 | $30,282 | 54% |
| 9 | University of New Haven | $59,225 | $27,000 | $34,192 | 63% |
| 10 | Sacred Heart University | $59,068 | $26,399 | $46,174 | 73% |
| 11 | Southern Connecticut State University | $56,694 | $26,000 | $20,857 | 50% |
| 12 | Central Connecticut State University | $54,195 | $23,250 | $16,857 | 48% |
| 13 | Eastern Connecticut State University | $53,673 | $26,000 | $21,067 | 58% |
| 14 | Western Connecticut State University | $52,385 | $25,069 | $17,604 | 52% |
3 more Connecticut 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 SHU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHU
- Acceptance rate: 65% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 73% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $75,059
- Full cost breakdown · all 44 majors · overview
Related majors at SHU
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
SHU Communications questions
How much do SHU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of Sacred Heart University earn a median $59,068 four years after graduating and $28,884 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do SHU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of Sacred Heart University is $26,399, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SHU a good school for Communications in Connecticut?
On pay, Communications graduates of Sacred Heart University earn $59,068 four years out, $3,670 below the median for the same major across 14 Connecticut colleges ($62,738) and $4,785 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHU rank for Communications in Connecticut?
Of 14 Connecticut colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, Sacred Heart University ranks 10th. The highest is Fairfield University at $78,081.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $84,990 in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area 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: “Sacred Heart University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sacred-heart-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).