---

Communication & Media Studies at American University

What traits are you looking for in a school for Communication & Media Studies, consider the program at American University. The following information will help you decide if it is a good fit for you.

American University is located in Washington, DC.

For the most recent IPEDS reporting year, 84 communication & media studies degrees were granted at American University.

Online Class Availability at American University

Distance learning is available at American University. Of 12,321 students, 895 (7%) were enrolled entirely in distance education and 1,822 (15%) took at least some classes online.

Communication & Media Studies Rankings at American University

Use these rankings to compare American University’s Communication & Media Studies program against peer institutions.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	District Of Columbia	#1 of 4
Best Value	District Of Columbia	#4 of 4
Best Schools (Quality)	Middle Atlantic (Region)	#11 of 135
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#50 of 776
Best Value	Middle Atlantic (Region)	#131 of 134
Best Value	Nationwide	#759 of 772

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	District Of Columbia	#1 of 4
Best Value	District Of Columbia	#4 of 4
Best Schools (Quality)	Middle Atlantic (Region)	#11 of 135
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#50 of 776
Best Value	Middle Atlantic (Region)	#131 of 134
Best Value	Nationwide	#759 of 772

Earnings for Communication & Media Studies Graduates from American University

Those who finish American University’s Communication & Media Studies program report the following median earnings (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$52,991
2 years	$57,408
3 years	$64,397
4 years	$78,683
5 years	$86,870

How do these earnings stack up against the rest of the school? Four years out, Communication & Media Studies graduates from American University report median earnings of $78,683, compared with $75,429 for all American University graduates — about 4% higher than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Typical debt at graduation for Communication & Media Studies graduates from American University is $22,611.

Student Demographics & Diversity

The following sections describe the composition of Communication & Media Studies graduates at American University, broken down by degree level.

Program-wide, Communication & Media Studies graduates at American University are 80% women (67) and 20% men (17).

Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Program at American University

Among the 31 bachelor’s communication & media studies degrees awarded at American University, 81% were women (25) and 19% were men (6).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Communication & Media Studies bachelor’s degree recipients at American University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	14
Hispanic / Latino	1
Black / African American	2
Asian	1
Two or More Races	3
International (Nonresident)	10

Minority students account for 23% of Communication & Media Studies bachelor’s degree recipients at American University, lower than the national average of 38%.*

Communication & Media Studies Master’s Program at American University

Of the 50 master’s communication & media studies degrees awarded at American University, 78% were women (39) and 22% were men (11).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Communication & Media Studies master’s degree recipients at American University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	20
Hispanic / Latino	5
Black / African American	6
Two or More Races	2
International (Nonresident)	5
Unknown	12

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 26% of Communication & Media Studies master’s degree recipients at American University, lower than the national average of 35%.*

Communication & Media Studies Doctoral Program at American University

Among the 3 doctoral communication & media studies degrees awarded at American University, 100% were women (3) and 0% were men (0).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Communication & Media Studies doctoral degree recipients at American University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	1
International (Nonresident)	2

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Communication & Media Studies Concentrations at American University

The Communication & Media Studies program at American University breaks down into more specific concentrations:

Concentration	Graduates
Communication & Media Studies	84

Best-Paid Careers for Communication & Media Studies Graduates

Students who finish Communication & Media Studies program at American University go on to a range of careers. Below are the best-paid careers for Communication & Media Studies majors, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Public Relations Managers	$139,736
Fundraisers	$118,069
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	$108,419
Public Relations Specialists	$103,749
Editors	$100,346
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	$96,169
Fundraising Managers	$90,350
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$74,101
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers	$70,619
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	$69,171

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.