# Eastern New Mexico University: Communications (bachelor's)

Portales, NM. IPEDS 187648, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/eastern-new-mexico-university-main-campus/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $33,674
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $44,300 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $20,054 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in NM: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$9,983

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.4 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $44,300 minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $3,663 | $16,117 | 1.2 years |
| 30-48k | $3,080 | $13,552 | 1.0 years |
| 48-75k | $5,960 | $26,224 | 1.9 years |
| 75-110k | $8,388 | $36,907 | 2.7 years |
| 110k+ | $9,996 | $43,982 | 3.2 years |

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

## Communications at NM colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern New Mexico University | $44,300 | $20,054 | $4,904 | 45% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage not reported metro, $68,700 NM, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage not reported metro, $65,440 NM, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage not reported metro, $64,250 NM, $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).