Communication and Media Studies at Northampton County Area Community College

The data here tells an encouraging story, though the small graduating class means these numbers could shift year to year. Students from this program earn $30,471 one year out—better than 75% of communication programs nationwide and above Pennsylvania's median of $27,632. That's genuinely strong performance for an associate's degree in a field that doesn't always produce immediate financial returns.

The debt picture is even more impressive. At $17,500, graduates carry notably more debt than typical for this program (national median is $11,944), but here's what matters: that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 means manageable monthly payments relative to entry-level wages. With earnings outpacing both national and state averages, graduates have the income cushion to handle repayment while building their careers or continuing their education.

One caution: fewer than 30 students graduated in this cohort, so these results might not hold for future classes. Still, the fundamentals look solid—reasonable debt paired with above-average early earnings. For a student planning to transfer to a four-year program or enter media-adjacent fields in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, this represents a cost-effective foundation. Just understand you're looking at a snapshot from a small group, not a guaranteed outcome.