Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Texas A&M University-College Station

Texas A&M's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program significantly outperforms most competitors, with first-year earnings of $41,107—placing it in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among Texas schools. That's $11,000 more than the national median and nearly $10,000 above the typical Texas program. The $18,500 debt load is surprisingly reasonable, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 that makes the degree manageable to pay off quickly. Only UT Arlington beats it among Texas public schools, and by just $2,000.

The combination of strong A&M brand recognition and practical media training appears to translate into meaningful career opportunities. Graduates are earning well above what most radio/TV/digital communication majors make nationally, despite this field typically producing lower starting salaries. The moderate debt—below both state and national medians for this major—suggests students aren't over-borrowing to fund their education.

For parents concerned about creative media degrees, this program offers an unusually solid financial foundation. Your child would graduate earning more than 95% of their peers nationally in this field, with debt that represents less than half their first-year salary. That's a clear path to financial independence that most communication programs simply don't deliver.