Bachelor's · Kansas City, Missouri
Is Communication and Media Studies at University of Missouri-Kansas City 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 6.4 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $46,580
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $52,777
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $15,125
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $58k (likely $58k – $81k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $14k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in MO
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 6.4 years (likely 4.7–9.0)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$101k (likely −$177k – −$41k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $85k (likely −$41k – $221k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 56%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 20%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
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 Missouri-Kansas City
- Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Master's)$222,572
- Dentistry (First professional)$173,323
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral)$143,447
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's)$139,097
- Medicine (First professional)$127,872
- Business/Commerce, General (Master's)$119,601
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$111,394
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First professional)$103,836
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's)$100,670
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$97,043
- Civil Engineering (Master's)$96,926
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$95,148
Communication and Media Studies at other schools in Missouri
- University of Missouri-Columbia$61,007
- Saint Louis University$57,787
- Missouri Western State University$55,059
- Lindenwood University$54,917
- University of Central Missouri$52,463
- Truman State University$50,785
- Missouri State University-Springfield$50,065
- Northwest Missouri State University$50,012
- Avila University$48,148
- University of Missouri-St Louis$48,059