Bachelor's · Waukesha, Wisconsin
Is Communication and Media Studies at Carroll University worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Graduates typically don't earn back the cost within 20 years, compared with the no-degree baseline.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $42,662
- 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
- $25,686
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $103k (likely $103k – $116k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $3k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WI
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- Not within 20 years in most scenarios
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$265k (likely −$363k – −$145k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$229k (likely −$403k – $16k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 69%
- 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
Other majors at Carroll University
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's)$115,204
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$94,526
- Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)$87,085
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$82,867
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First professional)$82,601
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)$79,884
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$79,438
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)$78,698
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's)$77,095
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)$72,961
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's)$72,062
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's)$71,598
Communication and Media Studies at other schools in Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh$64,103
- University of Wisconsin-Madison$61,270
- Marquette University$60,482
- Ottawa University-Milwaukee$59,445
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire$58,043
- Mount Mary University$56,763
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse$56,470
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$55,697
- Carthage College$55,654
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater$55,152