U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 135 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 37% 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 $26,751. College Scorecard.
KU 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 KU'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 | $12,544 | $53,437 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $12,942 | $55,133 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,154 | $64,556 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $19,169 | $81,660 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $22,544 | $96,037 | 3.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($60,258) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,042 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 Kansas colleges
Every Kansas 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 Kansas | $60,258 | $22,250 | $18,059 | 69% |
| 2 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | $59,445 | $27,000 | $27,963 | 28% |
| 3 | Ottawa University-Kansas City | $59,445 | $27,000 | — | — |
| 4 | Kansas State University | $52,603 | $24,945 | $19,406 | 71% |
| 5 | Wichita State University | $50,773 | $25,159 | $13,194 | 51% |
| 6 | Washburn University | $46,497 | $21,875 | $15,280 | 53% |
| 7 | Pittsburg State Universitybachelor's & associate | $45,940 | $23,250 | $15,784 | 57% |
| 8 | Emporia State University | $45,003 | $26,000 | $16,261 | 56% |
12 more Kansas 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 KU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About KU
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,945
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at KU
- Journalism$62,394
KU Communications questions
How much do KU Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of University of Kansas earn a median $60,258 four years after graduating and $40,772 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do KU Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of University of Kansas is $22,250, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is KU a good school for Communications in Kansas?
On pay, Communications graduates of University of Kansas earn $60,258 four years out, $8,570 above the median for the same major across 8 Kansas colleges ($51,688) and $5,975 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does KU rank for Communications in Kansas?
Of 8 Kansas colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, University of Kansas ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $58,040 in the Lawrence, KS 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: “University of Kansas Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).