Program Analysis
At $37,778 per year, Communication and Media Studies graduates from Eastern Illinois University earn slightly above the $35,147 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 9.8x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 55% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $23,676 debt-to-$37,778 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #174 out of 613 programs, Eastern Illinois University's Communication and Media Studies offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $37,778 to $53,765 shows 42% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.