Radio, Television, and Digital Communication: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates earn a median $50,497 four years after finishing — $2,137/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 31.6 years. Federal data pools 351 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 11,500 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ranks #165 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 19% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | GA | $99,915 |
| 2 | Rochester Institute of Technology | NY | $91,222 |
| 3 | Fordham University | NY | $84,366 |
| 4 | Miami University-Oxford | OH | $82,411 |
| 5 | Miami University-Hamilton | OH | $82,411 |
| 6 | New York University | NY | $77,109 |
| 7 | CUNY City College | NY | $72,068 |
| 8 | Syracuse University | NY | $70,815 |
| 9 | University of Mississippi | MS | $69,082 |
| 10 | Seton Hall University | NJ | $67,192 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $66,876 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $66,876 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Radio, Television, and Digital Communication pay grow after graduation?
From $33,788 one year out to $50,497 four years out — a $16,709 climb, or 49% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication each year?
About 11,500 bachelor's graduates a year across 351 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.