# University of Northern Iowa: Communications (bachelor's)

Cedar Falls, IA. IPEDS 154095, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-northern-iowa/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $40,558
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $53,506 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $19,387 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in IA: 3 of 8 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IA median for this major (8 colleges, $52,288): +$1,218
- Versus the U.S. median: -$777

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.4 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $53,506 minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,863 | $47,797 | 2.8 years |
| 30-48k | $11,751 | $51,704 | 3.1 years |
| 48-75k | $14,099 | $62,036 | 3.7 years |
| 75-110k | $17,740 | $78,056 | 4.6 years |
| 110k+ | $18,706 | $82,306 | 4.9 years |

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

## Communications at IA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | $60,737 | $25,814 | $22,531 | 75% |
| Iowa State University | $57,110 | $19,425 | $18,589 | 75% |
| University of Northern Iowa | $53,506 | $19,387 | $15,901 | 68% |
| Luther College | $52,905 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| Central College | $51,671 | not reported | $23,377 | 66% |
| University of Dubuque | $48,537 | not reported | $23,386 | 40% |
| Wartburg College | $48,433 | $26,750 | $32,908 | 64% |
| Loras College | $44,741 | $25,166 | $20,716 | 68% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage $61,810 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, $62,970 IA, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage not reported Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, $63,930 IA, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage $47,300 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, $57,200 IA, $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).