ROI Major

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of North Texas

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.07

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree from University of North Texas earn a median salary of $51,032 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,409. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.5 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

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

$36,866

Typical Career

$51,032

Top Performers

$66,639

Estimated break-even: 11.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$340

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,253. Most students can comfortably afford about a $340 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.5%
Finance & Insurance 10.1%

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

$55,409

Nominal: $51,032 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

11.5 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 $23,786 $32,715 $43,704
5 Years After Graduation $36,866 $51,032 $66,639
10 Years After Graduation $48,547 $64,468 $87,928

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 $51,032 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $51,032 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $55,409 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program at the University of North Texas experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $32,715, which increases to $51,032 after five years and reaches $64,468 a decade post-graduation. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $55,409.34, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive income relative to their peers across the country.

The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with top industries including Educational Services (22.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.5%), and Finance & Insurance (10.1%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 11.5 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in this field can lead to a stable and growing career path in Texas and beyond.

Compare with Another School

See how the Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree at University of North Texas stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of North Texas.

Apply to University of North Texas

Explore More

Other Degrees at University of North Texas

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.