Communication and Media Studies at Whitworth University

Whitworth's Communication and Media Studies program graduates earn $39,305 in their first year—roughly $1,500 above Washington's median for the major and nearly $4,400 above the national average. Among the 19 Washington schools offering this degree, Whitworth lands in the 60th percentile, performing comparably to Seattle University while trailing the University of Washington campuses by about $5,000. This is solid positioning for a private liberal arts college, though the small graduate cohort (under 30 students) means individual outcomes can swing these numbers significantly year to year.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $21,500, slightly higher than Washington's median but lower than the national benchmark. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 suggests manageable repayment—graduates should be able to handle their loans without severe financial strain. However, communication degrees often start modestly and depend heavily on individual career paths and networking, so that first-year figure might not tell the whole story of long-term earning potential.

For families willing to invest in Whitworth's close-knit campus and alumni network, this program delivers competitive outcomes within Washington's market. Just recognize that with communication majors, where you end up professionally matters as much as where you studied—and the small sample size here means you're looking at a snapshot, not a guarantee.