Communication, Journalism, at Berry College

Berry College's communication and journalism program graduates earn modestly above both the Georgia median ($32,478) and the national median ($34,134), landing around the 60th percentile in both comparisons. With first-year earnings of $36,931, graduates face manageable debt at $22,965—a ratio of 0.62 means the typical student's debt equals about seven months of income. That's reasonable for a communications degree, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year.

The 8% earnings growth to nearly $40,000 by year four is modest but steady, which matters in a field where early-career earnings often plateau. Berry's selective environment (62% admission rate, 1223 average SAT) may provide networking advantages that help explain why graduates outperform peers at other Georgia schools. However, communications remains a field where passion and individual hustle often matter more than institutional pedigree, and these earnings won't feel lavish in expensive metro markets.

For families comfortable with $23,000 in debt and realistic about communications salaries, this program appears functional rather than problematic. Just remember the small sample caveat—you're betting on a pattern that might not hold as more graduates enter the data. If your student is considering this path, the debt load won't be crushing, but neither will the paycheck be generous.