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Major · Communication & Journalism

A catchall communication bachelor’s with wide variation by school

Communication and Media Studies, Other (CIP 09.0199) is a catchall code for communication programs that don’t fit the named specializations. About 1,503 students complete it across 112 institutions, with bachelor’s graduates earning around $54,754 in five-year tracked wages.

Schools offering
112
Annual completions
1,503
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$54k

About this major

Communication and Media Studies, Other (CIP 09.0199) is the catchall code for communication programs that don’t fit the named specializations under the 09.01 family. The CIP definition treats it as any instructional program in communication and media studies not listed elsewhere, which means specific program content varies considerably by institution. Programs reported under this code can cover intercultural communication, science or environmental communication, legal and political communication, organizational communication, or bespoke media-studies tracks that don’t map cleanly onto Speech Communication (09.0101) or Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102).

The major fits students drawn to communication as a discipline who want flexibility in how they specialize. Coursework rewards students comfortable with reading dense academic and journalistic texts, building arguments in writing, and analyzing how messages move through institutions and audiences. Because content varies so widely by school, two graduates with the same CIP code can have substantially different academic experiences — one focused on rhetorical theory, another on digital media analysis, another on political communication.

A grounded observation about scale: 1,503 students complete this CIP across 112 institutions. The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (209 bachelor’s graduates) leads, followed by Full Sail University (125, including 11 associate’s), Montclair State (111), Ramapo College of New Jersey (76), Boise State (68), and Auburn (67). Bachelor’s graduates earn $54,754 in five-year tracked wages, with associate’s graduates at $44,404 — wages consistent with broad professional landings in writing, editing, public relations, marketing, and corporate communications rather than a single named career pipeline. The 1,503 figure reflects administrative grouping, not a niche field; the dominant sibling CIP, Speech Communication and Rhetoric (09.0101), totals 29,295 completions on its own.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

No federal crosswalk data available for this major yet.

Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$54k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$44k

Bachelor's

$55k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you’re drawn to a specific communication program at a school like the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Montclair State, or the University of Pennsylvania whose curriculum aligns with your interests, you read the course catalog carefully and confirm the program’s actual focus rather than relying on the CIP title, you want flexibility to specialize in intercultural, science, environmental, or organizational communication without being locked into the dominant Speech Communication track, you’re comfortable with the bachelor’s wage range of around $54,754, and you’re prepared for broad professional landings in writing, editing, PR, marketing, or communications work rather than a single named career pipeline.

Think twice if you want a credential that signals a specific specialization clearly to employers and graduate programs — Speech Communication and Rhetoric (09.0101, 29,295 completions) or Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102, 6,797 completions) may communicate your training more recognizably. Reconsider if you’re choosing the major based on the CIP title alone without verifying what the school’s program actually teaches; the ‘.99 Other’ designation masks substantial variation. Pause if you’re weighing an associate’s as an end credential rather than a transfer step — the $44,404 associate’s wage is meaningfully lower than the $54,754 bachelor’s figure, and most named professional communication roles treat the bachelor’s as standard.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Communication and Media Studies, Other

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 0 209 209
Full Sail University Winter Park, FL 11 114 125
Montclair State University Montclair, NJ 0 111 111
Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ 0 76 76
Boise State University Boise, ID 0 68 68
Auburn University Auburn, AL 0 67 67
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 0 56 56
Northeastern University Boston, MA 0 55 55
University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA 0 49 49
Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 0 33 33
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Speech Communication and Rhetoric

29,295 completions/yr

Communication, General

9,537 completions/yr

Mass Communication/Media Studies

6,797 completions/yr

Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia

6,649 completions/yr

Legal Professions and Studies, Other

505 completions/yr

Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other

492 completions/yr

Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other

95 completions/yr

Classical and Ancient Studies, Other

3 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Communication and Media Studies, Other field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Communication and Media Studies, Other worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What does ‘Communication and Media Studies, Other’ actually cover?
The CIP defines it as any instructional program in communication and media studies not listed in the named codes. In practice, this means specific content varies considerably by institution. Programs under this code can include intercultural communication, science communication, environmental communication, legal or political communication, organizational communication, and bespoke media-studies tracks that don’t map cleanly onto Speech Communication (09.0101) or Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102). Read the course catalog at any specific school before assuming what the major covers.
How does this compare to Communication Studies (09.0101) or Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102)?
Speech Communication and Rhetoric (09.0101) is the dominant named CIP at 29,295 completions — roughly 19 times larger than this catchall. Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102) sits at 6,797 completions, and Communication, General (09.0100) at 9,537. This ‘.99 Other’ code, at 1,503 completions, is what schools use when their program doesn’t fit those buckets. Outcomes overlap heavily across all four — employer recognition tends to track the school name and the student’s portfolio more than the specific CIP.
What jobs do graduates actually land?
The data packet doesn’t list named BLS destinations for this CIP, which reflects the variety of programs grouped under it. Looking at sibling communication CIPs and the broad professional landing zone, graduates commonly enter writer or editor roles, public relations and communications coordinator positions, marketing and content roles, and corporate communications work. Some pursue journalism, advocacy, or nonprofit communications. The bachelor’s wage of $54,754 in five-year tracked earnings is consistent with these entry-level professional destinations.
Is an associate’s enough, or do I need a bachelor’s?
Both degree levels exist under this code, but the wage gap is meaningful. Associate’s graduates earn about $44,404 in five-year tracked wages, while bachelor’s graduates earn $54,754 — a roughly $10,000 annual difference. Most named professional communication roles (PR specialist, editor, communications coordinator) treat a bachelor’s as the standard credential. An associate’s can serve as a transfer pathway into a four-year communication program or as preparation for entry-level support roles.
Why do so few students complete this CIP compared to Speech Communication?
The 1,503 completions across 112 schools reflects administrative grouping rather than a small or exclusive field. When a program’s content doesn’t map cleanly onto a named CIP, the institution reports it under the ‘.99 Other’ code. Schools like the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (209 graduates), Full Sail University (125), Montclair State (111), and Ramapo College (76) anchor the list — their programs cover distinct media or communication tracks that don’t fit Speech Communication or Mass Communication categories.
What if I like the field but want a more focused credential?
The related-majors data points to clearer specializations. Speech Communication and Rhetoric (09.0101) is the largest named track at 29,295 completions and emphasizes rhetoric, public address, and interpersonal communication. Mass Communication/Media Studies (09.0102, 6,797 completions) focuses on media institutions and analysis. Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia (09.0702, 6,649 completions) emphasizes production. If you want a recognizable credential, one of these named CIPs may communicate your training more clearly to employers and graduate programs.