Communication and Media Studies at Genesee Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 09.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Communication and Media Studies degree from Genesee Community College earn a median salary of $39,163 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $29,669. The degree typically pays for itself in 26.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$28,664
Typical Career
$39,163
Top Performers
$49,992
Estimated break-even: 26.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$261
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,264. Most students can comfortably afford about a $261 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$29,669
Nominal: $39,163 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $18,393 | $25,818 | $33,791 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $28,664 | $39,163 | $49,992 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $30,988 | $48,487 | $60,590 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $39,163 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,163 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $29,669 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 32.2% of placements, followed closely by another segment of Health Care & Social Assistance at 27.7%, and Educational Services at 14.5%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 26.2 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. This suggests that while initial earnings may be modest, the potential for growth exists, particularly in sectors that are currently expanding.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.