{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"EducationalOccupationalProgram","data_version":"1.0","generated_from":"2026-10-12","license":"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).","url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/saint-marys-college/majors/communications","ids":{"ipeds_unitid":152390,"cip4":"09.01","school_slug":"saint-marys-college","major_slug":"communications"},"school":{"name":"Saint Mary's College","city":"Notre Dame","state":"IN","control":"Private nonprofit","url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/saint-marys-college","data":"https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/saint-marys-college.json"},"major":{"name":"Communications","area":"Communications & Media","credential":"Bachelor's degree"},"outcomes":{"median_earnings_1yr":32322,"median_earnings_4yr":66335,"median_debt":27000,"debt_to_earnings_4yr":0.407,"year":{"earnings_1yr":"Treasury AY2018-19, AY2019-20 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars","earnings_4yr":"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"},"source":"College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)"},"national":{"colleges_reporting":639,"median_earnings_4yr":54283,"median_debt":25000},"compared_with_same_major":{"calculated_by":"EducationGuide","state":{"geography":"IN","colleges_reporting":20,"median_earnings_4yr":51292,"difference":15043},"us":{"colleges_reporting":639,"median_earnings_4yr":54283,"difference":12052},"note":"State and U.S. medians are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major (4 years after graduating); a state median is published when at least 3 colleges in the state report earnings."},"value":{"calculated_by":"EducationGuide","time_to_finish":{"average_years_among_graduates":4.09,"finished_in_4_years":0.7072,"finished_within_6_years":0.7652,"cohort":362,"entering_class":"Fall 2017","source":"IPEDS Graduation Rates (bachelor's-seeking cohort)"},"baseline":{"median_earnings_high_school_graduates":35534,"geography":"IN","ages":"25-34","years":"2020-2024","respondents":8886,"description":"high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024)","source":"U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year PUMS (microdata): ages 25-34, high school diploma or GED as highest level, not enrolled, earnings > 0; EducationGuide calculation"},"earnings_used":66335,"earnings_basis":"median earnings of this major's graduates 4 years after graduating (College Scorecard field of study); school-wide net price","by_family_income":{"0-30k":{"net_price_per_year":16760,"cost_to_finish":68548,"payback_years":2.2,"payback_status":"ok","payback_text":"2.2 years"},"30-48k":{"net_price_per_year":18152,"cost_to_finish":74242,"payback_years":2.4,"payback_status":"ok","payback_text":"2.4 years"},"48-75k":{"net_price_per_year":21014,"cost_to_finish":85947,"payback_years":2.8,"payback_status":"ok","payback_text":"2.8 years"},"75-110k":{"net_price_per_year":23680,"cost_to_finish":96851,"payback_years":3.1,"payback_status":"ok","payback_text":"3.1 years"},"110k+":{"net_price_per_year":30443,"cost_to_finish":124512,"payback_years":4,"payback_status":"ok","payback_text":"4.0 years"}},"method":"cost_to_finish = max(0, net price per year) x average years graduates took; payback_years = cost_to_finish / (earnings_used - baseline), one decimal; status over_cap above 20 years, no_premium when earnings do not exceed the baseline. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. In-state net price for public colleges.","method_url":"https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value"},"state_rank":{"rank":2,"of":19,"by":"median earnings 4 years after graduating"},"state_comparison":[{"ipeds_unitid":150400,"name":"DePauw University","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":69228,"median_debt":27000,"net_price_average":22264,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.747,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/depauw-university/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":152390,"name":"Saint Mary's College","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":66335,"median_debt":27000,"net_price_average":25292,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.693,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/saint-marys-college/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":243780,"name":"Purdue University","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":65517,"median_debt":18500,"net_price_average":14600,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.831,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151351,"name":"Indiana University-Bloomington","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":63855,"median_debt":21500,"net_price_average":16264,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.802,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":150756,"name":"Hanover College","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":58227,"median_debt":27000,"net_price_average":21829,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.671,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/hanover-college/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151388,"name":"Indiana University-East","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":56141,"median_debt":24462,"net_price_average":8134,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.396,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-east/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":150774,"name":"Holy Cross College","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":52231,"median_debt":null,"net_price_average":26728,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.729,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/holy-cross-college"},{"ipeds_unitid":151360,"name":"Indiana University-Northwest","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":51863,"median_debt":null,"net_price_average":5130,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.374,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-northwest"},{"ipeds_unitid":151111,"name":"Indiana University-Indianapolis","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":51397,"median_debt":20500,"net_price_average":11668,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.545,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-indianapolis/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":150136,"name":"Ball State University","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":51186,"median_debt":21550,"net_price_average":14940,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.623,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/ball-state-university/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":152600,"name":"Valparaiso University","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":50325,"median_debt":27000,"net_price_average":18578,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.704,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/valparaiso-university/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":490805,"name":"Purdue University Northwest","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":49326,"median_debt":28000,"net_price_average":6079,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.429,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-northwest/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151379,"name":"Indiana University-Southeast","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":48931,"median_debt":20500,"net_price_average":7888,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.392,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-southeast/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151263,"name":"University of Indianapolis","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":48711,"median_debt":27000,"net_price_average":21602,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.558,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-indianapolis/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151324,"name":"Indiana State University","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":48185,"median_debt":25000,"net_price_average":10873,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.429,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-state-university/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151102,"name":"Purdue University Fort Wayne","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":46619,"median_debt":25289,"net_price_average":13171,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.363,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-fort-wayne/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151333,"name":"Indiana University-Kokomo","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":46136,"median_debt":null,"net_price_average":3968,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.456,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-kokomo"},{"ipeds_unitid":151342,"name":"Indiana University-South Bend","mostly_two_year":false,"median_earnings_4yr":44703,"median_debt":26000,"net_price_average":8653,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.401,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-south-bend/majors/communications"},{"ipeds_unitid":151306,"name":"University of Southern Indiana","mostly_two_year":true,"median_earnings_4yr":42453,"median_debt":17860,"net_price_average":12923,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.482,"url":"https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-indiana/majors/communications"}],"careers":[{"soc":"27-3030","title":"Public relations specialist","median_wage_metro":61830,"metro":"South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI","median_wage_state":64900,"median_wage_us":74750,"us_job_growth_2025_2035_pct":1.8,"typical_entry_education":"Bachelor's degree","source":"BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35"},{"soc":"13-1131","title":"Fundraisers","median_wage_metro":61200,"metro":"South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI","median_wage_state":66250,"median_wage_us":72550,"us_job_growth_2025_2035_pct":5.5,"typical_entry_education":"Bachelor's degree","source":"BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35"},{"soc":"27-3041","title":"Editors","median_wage_metro":null,"metro":"South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI","median_wage_state":56440,"median_wage_us":77920,"us_job_growth_2025_2035_pct":-1.1,"typical_entry_education":"Bachelor's degree","source":"BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35"}],"school_context":{"net_price_average":25292,"net_price_by_family_income":{"0-30k":16760,"30-48k":18152,"48-75k":21014,"75-110k":23680,"110k+":30443},"acceptance_rate":0.76,"graduation_rate_6yr":0.693,"year":{"net_price":"AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25"}},"methodology":"https://educationguide.com/how-we-score"}