Communication and Media Studies at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

UNH's Communication and Media Studies program produces earnings that vault past most competitors nationally—hitting the 94th percentile—yet lands squarely in the middle pack among New Hampshire schools. Graduates start at $43,551, which beats the national median by nearly $9,000 but only edges out the state median by about $5,000. The $27,000 debt load is manageable, creating a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that most families can realistically handle, and earnings climb a healthy 32% to $57,379 by year four.

Here's the calculation parents need to make: this program ties with Saint Anselm for highest-earning in the state, but Saint Anselm is a private college with likely higher tuition. If your child qualifies for in-state tuition at UNH, you're getting flagship-level outcomes at public-school pricing—a solid deal. The middling state percentile (60th) matters less than the raw numbers, which show graduates clearing meaningful salary thresholds. The strong earnings growth suggests these students build valuable skills that employers increasingly reward.

The real value here depends on whether your family pays in-state or out-of-state rates. For New Hampshire residents, this represents one of the best communication program investments in the state. Out-of-state families should weigh whether the outcomes justify the higher tuition compared to their home state's public options.