Communication and Media Studies at Meredith College

Meredith's communication program graduates start modestly at $35,157, but the trajectory matters here: earnings climb 26% to $44,422 by year four, which is solid growth for this field. Within North Carolina's competitive media studies landscape—where you're competing against 40 programs including heavy-hitters like Elon and UNC—this program lands at the 60th percentile. That's above the state median of $32,323 and actually exceeds the national median too, though it can't match the elite in-state options.

The debt picture is notably favorable. At $27,000, graduates carry slightly more than state and national norms for this major, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 means it's manageable—you're borrowing less than one year's starting salary. More importantly, debt here sits in the 25th percentile nationally, meaning 75% of similar programs saddle students with heavier burdens.

The caveat: this data comes from a small sample (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes could vary more than usual. That said, for a student interested in communications who prefers a smaller college environment over a large state university, Meredith delivers competitive outcomes without the debt load that often plagues liberal arts degrees. Just understand you're trading some earning potential for that experience—graduates from the top NC programs earn $10,000-15,000 more out of the gate.