ROI Major

Communication and Journalism, Other at Ohio University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Communication and Journalism, Other degree from Ohio University earn a median salary of $77,631 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $86,161. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.6 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$57,669

Typical Career

$77,631

Top Performers

$98,520

Estimated break-even: 5.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$518

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,469. Most students can comfortably afford about a $518 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 28.2%
Educational Services 15.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.1%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$86,161

Nominal: $77,631 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% higher 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).

5.6 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $35,910 $51,694 $66,642
5 Years After Graduation $57,669 $77,631 $98,520
10 Years After Graduation $76,570 $107,201 $142,476

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 $77,631 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $77,631 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $86,161 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Communication and Journalism, Other from Ohio University experience a promising earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, the median earnings stand at $51,694, which increases to $77,631 after five years and reaches $107,201 after a decade. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent to the national average is approximately $86,160.93, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to national peers despite the lower cost of living in Ohio.

The top industries for these graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (28.2%), Educational Services (15.6%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.1%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 5.6 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in Communication and Journalism, Other from Ohio University can lead to solid career opportunities and financial growth over time.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Communication and Journalism, Other degree at Ohio University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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