ROI Major

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of Georgia

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree from University of Georgia earn a median salary of $59,696 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $65,962. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.6 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

$43,628

Typical Career

$59,696

Top Performers

$79,865

Estimated break-even: 8.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$398

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,975. Most students can comfortably afford about a $398 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.5%
Educational Services 17.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 11.7%

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

$65,962

Nominal: $59,696 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

8.6 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 $26,030 $36,964 $48,348
5 Years After Graduation $43,628 $59,696 $79,865
10 Years After Graduation $57,325 $79,910 $112,664

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 $59,696 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $59,696 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $65,962 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication from the University of Georgia can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $36,964, which increases to $59,696 after five years and reaches $79,910 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $65,962.43, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in the job market despite regional cost-of-living differences.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.5%), Educational Services (17.1%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (11.7%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 8.6 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those entering the field. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in this area can lead to substantial career opportunities and financial growth over time.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Radio, Television, and Digital Communication degree at University of Georgia 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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