# Western Colorado University: Communications (bachelor's)

Gunnison, CO. IPEDS 128391, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-colorado-university/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: not reported
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $47,426 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,500 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in CO: 9 of 11 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the CO median for this major (12 colleges, $55,618): -$8,192
- Versus the U.S. median: -$6,857

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.46 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $47,426 minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $11,490 | $51,245 | 7.5 years |
| 30-48k | $10,868 | $48,471 | 7.1 years |
| 48-75k | $13,908 | $62,030 | 9.1 years |
| 75-110k | $16,928 | $75,499 | 11.1 years |
| 110k+ | $21,396 | $95,426 | 14.0 years |

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

## Communications at CO colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder | $66,623 | $17,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| University of Denver | $63,374 | $24,500 | $36,131 | 76% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $62,882 | $27,000 | $11,900 | 46% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $61,434 | $24,647 | $21,279 | 67% |
| University of Northern Colorado | $56,520 | $24,939 | $17,760 | 51% |
| Colorado Mesa University | $54,717 | $23,036 | $15,103 | 41% |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | $51,721 | $22,824 | $10,051 | 40% |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | $50,692 | $19,500 | $15,788 | 47% |
| Western Colorado University | $47,426 | $23,500 | $16,425 | 51% |
| Regis University | $46,341 | not reported | $18,397 | 61% |
| Colorado Christian University | $44,245 | $26,000 | $29,500 | 64% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage not reported metro, $80,680 CO, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage not reported metro, $74,440 CO, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage not reported metro, $77,870 CO, $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).