Bachelor's · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Is Communication and Media Studies at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 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 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $47,033
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $59,825
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $22,500
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $66k (likely $66k – $91k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $19k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WI
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 6 years (likely 5.2–7.4)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$81k (likely −$160k – −$39k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $157k (likely $52k – $273k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 50%
- 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 / ≤ 5%
- 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 Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Business/Commerce, General (Undergraduate certificate)$118,137
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First professional)$117,537
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$101,139
- Engineering, General (Master's)$100,965
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's)$97,708
- Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$95,849
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$92,342
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)$91,955
- Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's)$86,405
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First professional)$83,942
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$83,414
- Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's)$82,763
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
- Carthage College$55,654
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater$55,152
- Edgewood University$54,257