U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 16 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 64% 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 $19,048. College Scorecard.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith'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 | $8,890 | $46,495 | 13.8 years |
| $30–48k | $9,391 | $49,115 | 14.6 years |
| $48–75k | $11,392 | $59,580 | 17.7 years |
| $75–110k | $13,804 | $72,195 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $14,297 | $74,773 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 5.2 years, the average time graduates took (3% 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 ($35,760) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $3,361 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 Arkansas colleges
Every Arkansas college we cover that reports Communications graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas | $56,969 | $21,165 | $18,209 | 71% |
| 2 | Ouachita Baptist University | $50,369 | $23,521 | $22,409 | 61% |
| 3 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $46,743 | $23,717 | $17,248 | 42% |
| 4 | Arkansas Tech Universitymostly 2-year | $45,385 | $24,500 | $12,970 | 49% |
| 5 | Arkansas State University | $44,327 | $21,250 | $12,366 | 55% |
| 6 | University of Central Arkansas | $36,336 | $27,000 | $16,511 | 54% |
| 7 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smithbachelor's & associate | $35,760 | $23,000 | $10,574 | 38% |
9 more Arkansas 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Acceptance rate: 80% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 38% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $41,102
- Full cost breakdown · all 29 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Graphic Communications—
- Writing—
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Communications questions
How much do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn a median $35,760 four years after graduating and $28,951 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith is $23,000, about 64% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith a good school for Communications in Arkansas?
On pay, Communications graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn $35,760 four years out, $9,625 below the median for the same major across 7 Arkansas colleges ($45,385) and $18,523 below the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Arkansas-Fort Smith rank for Communications in Arkansas?
Of 7 Arkansas colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith ranks 7th. The highest is University of Arkansas at $56,969.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $54,880 in the Fort Smith, AR-OK area and $74,750 nationally. Others include fundraisers and editors.
Is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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: “University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-fort-smith/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).