North Carolina · Communication and Media Studies

Best institutions to study Communication and Media Studies in North Carolina

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
38
offering CIP 09.01
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,475
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$38,234
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
21
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,863
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
56%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Public Relations Specialists
$78,940
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
1Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$48,6371184%$33,688$23,250
2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,34854491%$15,500
3Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$42,05516089%$20,914$22,250
4North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,88920785%$22,324
5Appalachian State University
Boone Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,33110575%$21,500
6University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,23425369%$24,050
7East Carolina University
Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,81329363%$23,250
8University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,69517771%$21,500
9Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,2794161%$24,872$27,000
10Meredith College
Raleigh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$35,157970%$19,552$27,000

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 North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
9,910
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$78,940
median $67,230
Best-paying metro
$86,370
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Public Relations Specialists
$78,940 avg · 9,910 jobs
Fundraisers
$72,490 avg · 3,700 jobs
Editors
$77,380 avg · 1,870 jobs
Writers and Authors
$72,340 avg · 1,810 jobs
Public Relations Managers
$146,900 avg · 1,510 jobs
Fundraising Managers
$137,440 avg · 1,030 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in North Carolina.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Elon University tops the list at $48,637. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in North Carolina is $78,940 (median $67,230), across about 9,910 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.

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