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Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison

If you are interested in studying Communication & Media Studies, consider the program at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The following information will help you decide if it is a good fit for you.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is in Madison, WI.

For the most recent IPEDS reporting year, 305 communication & media studies degrees were granted at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Online Class Availability at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Many students take online classes at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Of 51,044 students, 1,454 (3%) were enrolled entirely in distance education and 10,996 (22%) took at least some classes online.

Communication & Media Studies Rankings at University of Wisconsin-Madison

These rankings give you a sense of how University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Communication & Media Studies program to other colleges that offer this major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Wisconsin	#1 of 15
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#6 of 98
Best Value	Wisconsin	#9 of 15
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#37 of 98
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#42 of 776
Best Value	Nationwide	#309 of 772

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Wisconsin	#1 of 15
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#6 of 98
Best Value	Wisconsin	#9 of 15
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#37 of 98
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#42 of 776
Best Value	Nationwide	#309 of 772

Earnings for Communication & Media Studies Graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison’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	$38,571
2 years	$38,271
3 years	$42,676
4 years	$50,226
5 years	$57,874

Is this above or below average for the school? At the four-year mark, Communication & Media Studies graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison earn a median of $50,226, compared with $74,335 for all University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates — about 32% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

The median debt for Communication & Media Studies graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison stands at $23,250.

Student Demographics & Diversity

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

Program-wide, Communication & Media Studies graduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison are 67% women (205) and 33% men (100).

Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Among the 252 bachelor’s communication & media studies degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 67% were women (168) and 33% were men (84).

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

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	154
Hispanic / Latino	20
Black / African American	8
Asian	11
Two or More Races	13
International (Nonresident)	38
Unknown	8

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 21% of Communication & Media Studies bachelor’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, below the national average of 38%.*

Communication & Media Studies Master’s Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Among the 4 master’s communication & media studies degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 100% were women (4) and 0% were men (0).

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

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

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 25% of Communication & Media Studies master’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, lower than the national average of 35%.*

Communication & Media Studies Doctoral Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Among the 25 doctoral communication & media studies degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 64% were women (16) and 36% were men (9).

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

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	11
Hispanic / Latino	1
International (Nonresident)	13

Minority students account for 4% of Communication & Media Studies doctoral degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, below the national average of 22%.*

*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 University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Communication & Media Studies program at University of Wisconsin-Madison includes the following sub-specializations:

Concentration	Graduates
Speech Communication	268
Communication & Media Studies	13
Other Communication & Media	24

Best-Paid Careers for Communication & Media Studies Graduates

Students who finish Communication & Media Studies program at University of Wisconsin-Madison go on to a range of careers. Here are the top-paying careers for Communication & Media Studies graduates, 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.