Communication and Media Studies at CUNY Queens College

Queens College delivers something increasingly rare in communication degrees: manageable debt paired with strong earnings growth. At just under $10,000 in student loans, graduates carry one-third the debt of typical communications students nationally, while their earnings jump 43% by year four—reaching $45,723, which exceeds both the national and state medians for the field.

The state context matters here. Among New York's 79 communication programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings despite being far more affordable than private competitors like Fordham ($46,405 but much higher debt) or Manhattan University ($44,016). First-year earnings lag at $31,918, which puts this in the 33rd percentile nationally, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 means graduates can realistically manage payments while building their careers. For a CUNY school serving nearly half Pell Grant recipients, this upward trajectory is notable.

The tradeoff is clear: you're accepting lower starting pay in exchange for minimal debt and solid four-year prospects. For families who can't fund a private school or need their student to graduate without crushing loan payments, that's a smart exchange. This won't match Cornell's $62,000 outcomes, but it won't burden your child with five-figure debt either while they're establishing themselves in a competitive field.