Communication and Media Studies at University of Hawaii at Hilo
HI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Communication and Media Studies degree from University of Hawaii at Hilo earn a median salary of $46,593 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $25,322. The degree typically pays for itself in 12 years.
Quick Insights
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
$32,619
Typical Career
$46,593
Top Performers
$62,818
Estimated break-even: 12 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$311
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,883. Most students can comfortably afford about a $311 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Hawaii buys what costs $1.84 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
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
$25,322
Nominal: $46,593 in Hawaii (COL 184.0% of national avg) · 45.7% 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 | $23,273 | $32,797 | $45,619 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $32,619 | $46,593 | $62,818 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $49,118 | $65,743 | $88,921 |
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 $46,593 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in HI, which has a cost-of-living index of 184.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $46,593 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400)
= $25,322 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (23.4%), Educational Services (22.2%), and Retail Trade (12.2%), suggesting a diverse range of opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 12 years, indicating that while the degree may provide a financial advantage over time, the return on investment may take longer to materialize, particularly in a high-cost living environment like Hawaii.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Communication and Media Studies degree at University of Hawaii at Hilo 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.