# University of Southern Maine: Communications (bachelor's)

Portland, ME. IPEDS 161554, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-maine/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $35,920
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $53,033 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,623 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in ME: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$1,250

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 5.25 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $53,033 minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ME (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,999 | $52,495 | 3.2 years |
| 30-48k | $10,847 | $56,947 | 3.5 years |
| 48-75k | $12,550 | $65,888 | 4.0 years |
| 75-110k | $16,750 | $87,938 | 5.4 years |
| 110k+ | $19,180 | $100,695 | 6.2 years |

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

## Communications at ME colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maine | $58,306 | $26,057 | $17,510 | 55% |
| University of Southern Maine | $53,033 | $22,623 | $13,596 | 40% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage $68,330 Portland-South Portland, ME, $62,450 ME, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage $71,230 Portland-South Portland, ME, $66,790 ME, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage $50,180 Portland-South Portland, ME, $50,180 ME, $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).