Communication and Media Studies at City University of Seattle

This communication degree carries debt-to-earnings that looks manageable on paper—similar Washington programs suggest first-year earnings around $38,000 against roughly $24,000 in loans. That 0.64 ratio falls comfortably below the warning threshold, and the estimated earnings track right at the state median for this major. But here's what matters: the University of Washington campuses place graduates into jobs paying $45,000 within a year, nearly $7,000 more than what peer programs suggest City University produces.

That gap compounds quickly. Those UW graduates reach the income needed to comfortably handle their debt significantly faster, while students from programs at this earnings level may find the monthly payments stretch their budgets tighter than expected—especially in Seattle's cost environment. Communication degrees rarely command premium starting salaries, so even modest differences in placement outcomes matter considerably over the repayment period.

Since these figures come from comparable Washington programs rather than City University's actual outcomes, treat them as directional rather than definitive. If this school offers unique industry connections, flexible scheduling, or other advantages that justify the choice, those factors may offset the earnings uncertainty. But if you're choosing primarily on earning potential, the established programs with reported data show what's actually achievable in this field in Washington.