Bachelor's · La Crosse, Wisconsin
Is Communication and Media Studies at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 6.1 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $48,143
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $60,656
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $20,437
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $72k (likely $72k – $94k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $20k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WI
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 6.1 years (likely 4.8–7.9)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$79k (likely −$144k – −$14k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $176k (likely $48k – $327k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 71%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 10%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Communication and Media Studies at other schools
🎬 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP Seminar
IB Higher Level
- Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
- Film HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's)$127,722
- Data Science (Master's)$122,027
- Biology, General (Master's)$109,836
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$93,633
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$92,256
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral)$80,611
- Physics (Bachelor's)$80,594
- Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's)$80,552
- Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)$78,296
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)$76,227
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's)$75,197
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's)$73,439
Communication and Media Studies at other schools in Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh$64,103
- University of Wisconsin-Madison$61,270
- Marquette University$60,482
- Ottawa University-Milwaukee$59,445
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire$58,043
- Mount Mary University$56,763
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$55,697
- Carthage College$55,654
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater$55,152
- Edgewood University$54,257