Communication and Media Studies at Iona University

Iona's communication program is a patience play—graduates start at $29,911, well below both national and New York medians, but earnings surge 78% by year four to $53,360. That mid-career figure outperforms most NY communication programs and puts graduates ahead of the typical timeline for this field. The question for families is whether you can weather that difficult first year or two.

At 40th percentile among New York programs initially, this isn't a top-tier launch, but the trajectory matters more than the starting point here. The debt load of $26,954 is manageable given where earnings land by year four—that's a 0.90 ratio to first-year earnings but drops to just 0.51 against year-four income. Within New York's expensive media landscape, where living costs can quickly outpace entry-level salaries, you'll need family support or a side income early on.

The real value emerges for students who can leverage Iona's proximity to New York City media markets while accepting that meaningful earnings take time to materialize in this field. If your student needs immediate post-graduation income to cover loans independently, this program's delayed payoff creates real risk. But for families who can help bridge those early years, the mid-career outcomes justify the investment far better than the initial numbers suggest.