U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 181 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 34% 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 $31,713. College Scorecard.
University of Missouri-Columbia 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 Missouri-Columbia'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 | $13,841 | $59,516 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $13,378 | $57,525 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $13,722 | $59,005 | 2.3 years |
| $75–110k | $19,762 | $84,977 | 3.3 years |
| $110k+ | $26,304 | $113,107 | 4.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($61,007) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $25,569 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 Missouri colleges
Every Missouri 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 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $61,007 | $20,500 | $20,268 | 75% |
| 2 | Saint Louis University | $57,787 | $24,343 | $24,398 | 80% |
| 3 | Missouri Western State University | $55,059 | — | $13,251 | 39% |
| 4 | Lindenwood University | $54,917 | $28,500 | $19,638 | 49% |
| 5 | University of Central Missouri | $52,463 | $22,312 | $14,462 | 54% |
| 6 | Truman State University | $50,785 | $23,250 | $12,780 | 69% |
| 7 | Missouri State University-Springfield | $50,065 | $25,000 | $17,613 | 58% |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri State University | $50,012 | $26,000 | $16,244 | 54% |
| 9 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | $49,135 | $21,982 | $13,310 | 55% |
| 10 | Avila University | $48,148 | $27,000 | $16,053 | 52% |
| 11 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $48,059 | $21,326 | $15,071 | 57% |
| 12 | Southeast Missouri State University | $47,813 | $24,500 | $15,882 | 58% |
| 13 | Webster University | $45,012 | $30,500 | $27,047 | 64% |
| 14 | Missouri Southern State University | $41,771 | $18,350 | $12,007 | 42% |
24 more Missouri 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 Missouri-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Missouri-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,403
- Full cost breakdown · all 87 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Missouri-Columbia
- Journalism$69,016
University of Missouri-Columbia Communications questions
How much do University of Missouri-Columbia Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $61,007 four years after graduating and $44,078 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do University of Missouri-Columbia Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia is $20,500, about 34% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Missouri-Columbia a good school for Communications in Missouri?
On pay, Communications graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn $61,007 four years out, $10,969 above the median for the same major across 14 Missouri colleges ($50,038) and $6,724 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Missouri-Columbia rank for Communications in Missouri?
Of 14 Missouri colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $47,700 in the Columbia, MO 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 Missouri-Columbia Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).