ROI Major

Communication and Journalism, Other at Bowling Green State University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Communication and Journalism, Other degree from Bowling Green State University earn a median salary of $46,988 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $52,151. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.2 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$35,230

Typical Career

$46,988

Top Performers

$63,205

Estimated break-even: 13.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$313

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,916. Most students can comfortably afford about a $313 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 23.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.3%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$52,151

Nominal: $46,988 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

13.2 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 $23,404 $31,537 $41,291
5 Years After Graduation $35,230 $46,988 $63,205
10 Years After Graduation $43,497 $60,953 $83,042

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 $46,988 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $46,988 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $52,151 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Communication and Journalism from Bowling Green State University experience a steady earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, median earnings are reported at $31,537, which increases to $46,988 after five years and reaches $60,953 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $52,150.94, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive income relative to the national average despite the cost of living in Ohio being lower than the national index.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (23.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (16.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.3%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 13.2 years, suggesting a moderate return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field. Overall, while the earnings potential is promising, students should consider the time required to recoup their educational investment.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Communication and Journalism, Other degree at Bowling Green State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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