ROI Major

Communication and Journalism, Other at University of Missouri - Kansas City

MO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 09.99

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Communication and Journalism, Other degree from University of Missouri - Kansas City earn a median salary of $49,920 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,964. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.9 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$37,379

Typical Career

$49,920

Top Performers

$73,075

Estimated break-even: 10.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$333

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,160. Most students can comfortably afford about a $333 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 25.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.4%
Educational Services 14.3%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$55,964

Nominal: $49,920 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

10.9 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 $26,543 $35,757 $43,539
5 Years After Graduation $37,379 $49,920 $73,075
10 Years After Graduation $46,948 $67,715 $100,394

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 $49,920 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,920 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $55,964 National Average equivalent.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Communication and Journalism, Other degree at University of Missouri - Kansas City stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Communication and Journalism, Other at University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Apply to University of Missouri - Kansas City

Explore More

Other Degrees at University of Missouri - Kansas City

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.