U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 265 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 52% 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 $25,505. College Scorecard.
SHSU 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 SHSU'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 | $12,474 | $55,385 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $13,389 | $59,447 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $15,540 | $68,998 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $21,366 | $94,865 | 5.7 years |
| $110k+ | $24,101 | $107,008 | 6.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($50,125) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,609 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | The University of Texas at Austin | $72,210 | $20,500 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $64,533 | $17,782 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 3 | Texas Christian University | $63,531 | $21,500 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 4 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | $60,805 | $22,852 | $12,723 | 40% |
| 5 | Trinity University | $59,494 | $25,340 | $23,464 | 84% |
| 6 | Southwestern University | $59,372 | $26,000 | $29,224 | 73% |
| 7 | Baylor University | $58,915 | $23,860 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 8 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $58,451 | — | $9,403 | 50% |
| 9 | Texas Tech University | $58,196 | $25,000 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 10 | University of Houston-Downtown | $56,903 | $28,375 | $10,542 | 33% |
| 11 | Saint Edward's University | $54,558 | $25,000 | $25,578 | 63% |
| 12 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $53,267 | $22,923 | $10,836 | 53% |
| 13 | Texas State University | $53,009 | $24,250 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 14 | University of Houston-Victoria | $52,435 | $20,625 | $8,109 | 26% |
| 15 | University of St Thomas | $50,859 | — | $19,359 | 69% |
| 16 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | $50,856 | $20,500 | $11,196 | 40% |
| 17 | Tarleton State University | $50,385 | $22,368 | $20,783 | 48% |
| 18 | Stephen F Austin State University | $50,302 | $24,000 | $14,260 | 53% |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Tyler | $50,247 | $15,021 | $13,323 | 54% |
| 20 | Sam Houston State University | $50,125 | $26,000 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 21 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $49,841 | $19,829 | $15,563 | 52% |
| 22 | Lamar University | $49,746 | $25,669 | $9,366 | 37% |
| 23 | University of Houston | $49,545 | $24,777 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 24 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | $49,545 | $23,000 | $26,106 | 49% |
| 25 | Abilene Christian University | $49,202 | — | $26,182 | 59% |
| 26 | Prairie View A & M University | $48,887 | $29,750 | $13,570 | 43% |
| 27 | Dallas Baptist University | $48,598 | $22,831 | $28,516 | 57% |
| 28 | Midwestern State University | $47,651 | $26,000 | $11,656 | 43% |
| 29 | West Texas A & M University | $47,009 | — | $19,487 | 55% |
| 30 | Angelo State University | $43,002 | $21,369 | $15,091 | 44% |
| 31 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | $42,921 | $26,000 | $15,225 | 40% |
| 32 | Texas A & M International University | $41,350 | $17,100 | $3,637 | 46% |
| 33 | Texas Southern University | $40,687 | $38,783 | $16,590 | 22% |
| 34 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $39,940 | $11,956 | $4,831 | 51% |
| 35 | University of the Incarnate Word | $39,660 | $27,000 | $22,775 | 51% |
| 36 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | $37,038 | $20,519 | $12,090 | 42% |
25 more Texas 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 SHSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHSU
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 55% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,211
- Full cost breakdown · all 66 majors · overview
Related majors at SHSU
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Graphic Communications$42,579
SHSU Communications questions
How much do SHSU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of Sam Houston State University earn a median $50,125 four years after graduating and $28,247 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do SHSU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of Sam Houston State University is $26,000, about 52% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SHSU a good school for Communications in Texas?
On pay, Communications graduates of Sam Houston State University earn $50,125 four years out, $149 below the median for the same major across 36 Texas colleges ($50,274) and $4,158 below the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHSU rank for Communications in Texas?
Of 36 Texas colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, Sam Houston State University ranks 20th. The highest is The University of Texas at Austin at $72,210.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $65,160 in Texas 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: “Sam Houston State University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sam-houston-state-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).