Maryland · Communication and Media Studies

Best institutions to study Communication and Media Studies in Maryland

The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…

Institutions
19
offering CIP 09.01
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,112
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$34,704
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
10
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,244
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
58%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Public Relations Specialists
$88,560
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi Public · Bachelor's degree
$53,51314033%$27,971
2University of Maryland - College Park
College Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,69627389%$20,000
3Towson University
Towson Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,6578869%$20,309
4Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$42,6405479%$26,585$27,000
5Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$39,055965%$23,136$26,312
6Salisbury University
Salisbury Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,70412268%$22,250
7McDaniel College
Westminster Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$32,402763%$18,988$25,000
8University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$30,7375870%$24,389
9Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$28,7201850%$27,000
10Hood College
Frederick Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$20,422957%$23,244

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~27,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$69,780
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingWritingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Public Relations Specialists earn in Maryland

Jobs in Maryland
4,190
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$88,560
median $79,560
Best-paying metro
$107,990
Lexington Park, MD

Related careers

Public Relations Specialists
$88,560 avg · 4,190 jobs
Fundraisers
$83,110 avg · 2,010 jobs
Editors
$83,200 avg · 1,850 jobs
Public Relations Managers
$166,120 avg · 1,530 jobs
Fundraising Managers
$143,780 avg · 810 jobs
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
$77,570 avg · 580 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Maryland.

Which Communication and Media Studies program in Maryland has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Maryland Global Campus tops the list at $53,513. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Maryland?+

The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Maryland is $88,560 (median $79,560), across about 4,190 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Communication and Media Studies program?+

The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, speaking, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Public Relations Specialists?+

The national job outlook is about +4.8% growth with around 27,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card