Bachelor's · Los Angeles, California

Is Communication and Media Studies at University of California-Los Angeles worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.1 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $57,879; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: Not enough graduates to report; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $12,732; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $62k (likely $62k – $62k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $20k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.1 years (likely 3.4–5.2); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$30k (likely −$81k – $15k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $189k (likely $77k – $302k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 93%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26

Change income, residency or loans Compare Communication and Media Studies at other schools

🎬 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Seminar

IB Higher Level

Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
Film HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of California-Los Angeles

Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$228,705
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$223,358
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$216,722
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral)$190,499
Physics (Doctoral)$178,137
Law (First professional)$177,968
Engineering, General (Master's)$177,858
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$177,710
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$174,798
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$170,827
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering (Master's)$151,186
Materials Engineering (Master's)$146,629

Communication and Media Studies at other schools in California

Santa Clara University$84,206
Northeastern University Oakland$80,191
University of Southern California$75,864
University of California-Berkeley$75,612
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$75,223
Chapman University$73,461
University of California-Santa Barbara$72,976
University of California-Davis$72,778
Loyola Marymount University$69,144
University of San Diego$68,913