# Ball State University: Communications (bachelor's)

Muncie, IN. IPEDS 150136, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/ball-state-university/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $33,815
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $51,186 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $21,550 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in IN: 10 of 19 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IN median for this major (20 colleges, $51,292): -$106
- Versus the U.S. median: -$3,097

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.21 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $51,186 minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,834 | $32,981 | 2.1 years |
| 30-48k | $9,848 | $41,460 | 2.6 years |
| 48-75k | $14,333 | $60,342 | 3.9 years |
| 75-110k | $19,567 | $82,377 | 5.3 years |
| 110k+ | $23,479 | $98,847 | 6.3 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Communications at IN colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DePauw University | $69,228 | $27,000 | $22,264 | 75% |
| Saint Mary's College | $66,335 | $27,000 | $25,292 | 69% |
| Purdue University | $65,517 | $18,500 | $14,600 | 83% |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | $63,855 | $21,500 | $16,264 | 80% |
| Hanover College | $58,227 | $27,000 | $21,829 | 67% |
| Indiana University-East | $56,141 | $24,462 | $8,134 | 40% |
| Holy Cross College | $52,231 | not reported | $26,728 | 73% |
| Indiana University-Northwest | $51,863 | not reported | $5,130 | 37% |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | $51,397 | $20,500 | $11,668 | 55% |
| Ball State University | $51,186 | $21,550 | $14,940 | 62% |
| Valparaiso University | $50,325 | $27,000 | $18,578 | 70% |
| Purdue University Northwest | $49,326 | $28,000 | $6,079 | 43% |
| Indiana University-Southeast | $48,931 | $20,500 | $7,888 | 39% |
| University of Indianapolis | $48,711 | $27,000 | $21,602 | 56% |
| Indiana State University | $48,185 | $25,000 | $10,873 | 43% |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | $46,619 | $25,289 | $13,171 | 36% |
| Indiana University-Kokomo | $46,136 | not reported | $3,968 | 46% |
| Indiana University-South Bend | $44,703 | $26,000 | $8,653 | 40% |
| University of Southern Indiana | $42,453 | $17,860 | $12,923 | 48% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage $57,340 Muncie, IN, $64,900 IN, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage $61,220 Muncie, IN, $66,250 IN, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage not reported Muncie, IN, $56,440 IN, $77,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).