Communication and Media Studies at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Saint Joseph's communication graduates start at $38,024—nearly $6,000 above Pennsylvania's median for this major and comfortably ahead of national benchmarks too. More importantly, earnings jump 39% to $52,915 within four years, putting grads on competitive footing with Villanova alumni who started higher. That growth trajectory suggests the program's Jesuit-rooted professional development and Philadelphia networking advantages actually translate into real career acceleration.

The debt picture reinforces this value proposition. At $27,000, borrowing sits right at the state median but below the national average, creating a manageable 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio that most graduates should be able to handle. The combination of above-average starting pay and strong earnings growth means students reach a point where debt becomes increasingly irrelevant to their financial picture.

Among Pennsylvania's 63 communication programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack for the state but punching above its weight given Saint Joseph's high admission rate. You're not getting UPenn outcomes, but you're getting substantially better results than most regional alternatives while paying similar debt loads. For families considering communication degrees in Pennsylvania, this represents a legitimate path to career growth without the debt burden that often derails humanities graduates.