Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Communications: earnings, debt & careers

Communications graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $66,106 four years after graduating ($44,309 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $20,613. That is $11,823 above the U.S. median for Communications graduates ($54,283 across 639 colleges), and ranks 4th of 15 Virginia colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$66,106

U.S. median for this major: $54,283.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$44,309

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,613

About 31% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,953 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $36,951. College Scorecard.

Communications at Virginia colleges

Every Virginia college we cover that reports Communications graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Virginia$76,243$21,230$21,56596%
2Roanoke College$76,198$26,975$24,50367%
3James Madison University$66,436$21,502$23,32280%
4Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$66,106$20,613$24,95386%
5Randolph-Macon College$61,867$27,000$27,86670%
6Virginia Commonwealth University$59,968$24,000$23,43363%
7Radford University$59,932$25,250$14,57849%
8Christopher Newport University$57,254$25,000$23,01572%
9Liberty University$54,911$23,250$29,35765%
10Longwood University$53,631$26,000$19,06661%
11Bridgewater College$53,615$26,000$17,80053%
12University of Lynchburg$46,733—$22,23557%
13Virginia Union University$42,376$31,000$13,23534%
14Regent University$41,335$23,750$19,92357%
15Virginia State University$40,896$28,000$15,84039%

14 more Virginia colleges offer Communications but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Communications graduates

Public relations specialist

Blacksburg area$65,170
Virginia$80,380
U.S.$74,750

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Fundraisers

Blacksburg area$78,200
Virginia$72,610
U.S.$72,550

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Editors

Virginia$80,590
U.S.$77,920

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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Communications questions

How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Communications graduates earn?

Communications graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $66,106 four years after graduating and $44,309 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.

How much debt do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Communications graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is $20,613, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Where does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University rank for Communications in Virginia?

Of 15 Virginia colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 4th. The highest is University of Virginia at $76,243.

What jobs do Communications graduates get?

A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $65,170 in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 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
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Cite this: “Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).