Communication and Media Studies at Cleveland State University

Cleveland State's Communication and Media Studies graduates start at $29,618—trailing not just Denison and Ohio State, but landing in the bottom quarter among Ohio's 54 programs offering this degree. That $6,000 gap below the state median matters when the debt burden sits at $27,500, creating a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio that nearly equals your child's entire annual income.

The positive spin here is manageable debt—Cleveland State's $27,500 is actually below both state and national averages for this major. Earnings do improve substantially over four years, jumping 25% to nearly $37,000. But even at that mark, graduates remain below where many peer programs start. For context, students at nearby University of Cincinnati or Ohio State begin their careers earning more than Cleveland State grads make four years out.

The real question is whether the lower cost of attendance justifies these outcomes. With a 95% admission rate and nearly 40% of students on Pell grants, Cleveland State serves an accessible mission. If your child needs an affordable, open-access pathway to a communications degree and can live at home to minimize additional costs, this could work. But if they have options at more selective Ohio schools—or could start at community college before transferring—those routes would likely deliver stronger career positioning in an already competitive field.