---
title: Is a Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree worth the debt?
cip: 0907
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **143** colleges (143 of 143 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $29,171 ($29,363 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $22,480 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.76× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $26,000–$32,470 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate | $21,296 | $9,500 | 0.45× | 8 | 8/8 |
| Associate's | $18,465 | $9,250 | 0.49× | 5 | 5/5 |
| Bachelor's | $29,171 | $22,480 | 0.76× | 143 | 143/143 |
| Master's | $45,590 | $52,607 | 1.07× | 13 | 13/13 |

## Where a Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (GA) | $67,997 | $27,840 |
| Fordham University (NY) | $50,934 | $22,250 |
| CUNY City College (NY) | $46,592 | — |
| Miami University-Hamilton (OH) | $44,973 | $23,681 |
| Miami University-Middletown (OH) | $44,973 | $23,681 |
| Miami University-Oxford (OH) | $44,973 | $23,681 |
| New York University (NY) | $44,800 | $21,500 |
| Seattle University (WA) | $41,415 | $17,463 |
| Lebanon Valley College (PA) | $40,807 | $27,000 |
| University of Connecticut (CT) | $40,698 | $22,375 |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus (CT) | $40,698 | $22,375 |
| University of Connecticut-Avery Point (CT) | $40,698 | $22,375 |
| University of Connecticut-Stamford (CT) | $40,698 | $22,375 |
| University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus (CT) | $40,698 | $22,375 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design (GA) | $39,934 | $24,506 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/radio-television-and-digital-communication.jsonld` · `/education/fields/radio-television-and-digital-communication.json`