Communication and Media Studies at The University of Texas at Arlington

With $20,000 in debt versus nearly $33,000 in first-year earnings, UT Arlington's Communication and Media Studies program keeps borrowing manageable—a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 means graduates typically face about 7-8 months of gross salary in loans. That's significantly better than the national debt load for this degree, where $25,000 is typical.

The earnings picture is more sobering. At $32,990, graduates earn about $1,000 less than both state and national medians for this major, landing just below the 40th percentile among Texas programs. More concerning is the gap with top performers: UT Austin grads in the same field start at $43,848, and even UT Permian Basin—a smaller regional university—reports $46,203. That $10,000+ difference compounds significantly over a career.

For families prioritizing affordability at a large public university, this program delivers reasonable value—the debt won't be crushing, and 40% of students receive Pell grants, suggesting meaningful access for middle-income families. But if your student is competitive enough for UT Austin or other top Texas programs, the earnings premium at those schools is substantial enough to justify the application effort. This is a safe choice that won't create financial hardship, but it's unlikely to provide the career launching pad that communications graduates at peer institutions experience.