Communication and Media Studies at Concordia University Texas

Concordia's Communication and Media Studies program outperforms most competitors despite serving a largely working-class student body—40% of students receive Pell grants. Starting at $39,068, graduates earn more than 60% of similar Texas programs and 72% nationally, while keeping debt slightly below both state and national medians. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 means graduates owe about 7.5 months of income, which is manageable for a liberal arts degree.

The caveat matters here: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes vary more than at larger programs. But the consistent outperformance against benchmarks, combined with solid 15% earnings growth to $45,025 by year four, suggests the program delivers real value. Concordia's open admission policy (91% acceptance rate) means students aren't being pre-selected for success—these outcomes reflect what the program itself provides.

For families worried about a communications degree's return on investment, this program ranks in the top third nationally while maintaining accessibility. The debt load is reasonable and the earnings trajectory points upward. Just remember the small sample size means your child's experience could differ more than it would at a school with hundreds of graduates to average out.