U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 220 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% 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 $28,679. College Scorecard.
University of Wisconsin-Madison 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 Wisconsin-Madison'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 | $4,200 | $17,640 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $4,101 | $17,224 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,134 | $34,163 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,763 | $74,605 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $27,292 | $114,626 | 4.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% 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 ($61,270) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,706 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $64,103 | $26,534 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $61,270 | $23,250 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 3 | Marquette University | $60,482 | $23,531 | $31,487 | 83% |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $58,043 | $22,730 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 5 | Mount Mary University | $56,763 | — | $20,144 | 43% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | $56,470 | $24,455 | $16,210 | 71% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $55,697 | $26,000 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 8 | Carthage College | $55,654 | $26,000 | $26,565 | 64% |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $55,152 | $26,000 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 10 | Edgewood College | $54,257 | $23,250 | $26,113 | 60% |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | $53,923 | $26,000 | $11,772 | 40% |
| 12 | Saint Norbert College | $52,927 | $26,262 | $26,172 | 71% |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | $51,148 | $24,212 | $14,054 | 57% |
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $48,982 | $25,990 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | $48,550 | $24,625 | $13,369 | 48% |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Superior | $45,014 | $28,500 | $12,220 | 42% |
9 more Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-Madison, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Acceptance rate: 45% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 90% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $73,792
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Journalism$75,967
University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications questions
How much do University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn a median $61,270 four years after graduating and $37,286 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison is $23,250, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison a good school for Communications in Wisconsin?
On pay, Communications graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn $61,270 four years out, $5,867 above the median for the same major across 16 Wisconsin colleges ($55,403) and $6,987 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank for Communications in Wisconsin?
Of 16 Wisconsin colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at $64,103.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $73,510 in the Madison, WI 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 Wisconsin-Madison Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).