Communication and Media Studies at Radford University

Radford's communications program delivers something rare in this field: meaningful earnings growth that lifts graduates well above their peers. While the starting salary of $38,038 sits just above the state average, by year four graduates are earning $51,557—roughly $15,000 more than the typical Virginia communications graduate. That 36% earnings trajectory matters more than the modest start, especially given the debt load of $25,250 is precisely the state median.

Within Virginia's competitive communications landscape, Radford ranks in the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack among 29 programs. The top programs (UVA, Virginia Tech) do produce higher earners, but Radford's graduates reach $51,557 without premium private school debt levels. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 means graduates owe about eight months of their first-year salary, manageable by communications standards where jobs rarely start high but can build steadily.

For parents concerned about communications as a "soft major," Radford's pattern should be reassuring. This isn't a program where graduates peak early and plateau—it's one where they gain traction in the job market over time. The combination of affordable debt and strong earnings growth creates actual upward mobility, particularly valuable for the 35% of students here on Pell grants who need their degree to deliver real career advancement.