Federal data
Highest earning communication and media studies programs in North Carolina
North Carolina communication and media studies programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon University | Elon | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $48,637 | 137 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Public, 4-year | $43,348 | 653 |
| 3 | Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $42,055 | 56 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | Public, 4-year | $39,889 | 207 |
| 5 | Appalachian State University | Boone | Public, 4-year | $38,331 | 75 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public, 4-year | $38,234 | 510 |
| 7 | East Carolina University | Greenville | Public, 4-year | $37,813 | 307 |
| 8 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | Public, 4-year | $36,695 | 235 |
| 9 | Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $36,279 | 33 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | Public, 4-year | $30,559 | 267 |
| 11 | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public, 4-year | $28,996 | 67 |
| 12 | North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public, 4-year | $28,985 | 197 |
| 13 | Johnson & Wales University | Charlotte | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $28,062 | 43 |
| 14 | University of North Carolina Asheville | Asheville | Public, 4-year | $27,682 | 51 |
| 15 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | Public, 4-year | $26,411 | 58 |
| 16 | North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public, 4-year | $25,750 | 88 |
| 17 | Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public, 4-year | $24,899 | 37 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.
Keep going