by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. Also, learn how USD ranks among other schools offering degrees in communications.
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The bachelor's program at USD was ranked #178 on College Factual's Best Schools for communications list. It is also ranked #1 in South Dakota.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 175 |
| Best Communication & Media Studies Schools | 178 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, University of South Dakota handed out 56 bachelor's degrees in communication & media studies. This is a decrease of 28% over the previous year when 78 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 4 students received their master’s degree in communications from USD. This makes it the #203 most popular school for communications master’s degree candidates in the country.
Communications majors who earn their bachelor's degree from USD go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $35,792 a year. This is higher than $34,959, which is the national median for all communications bachelor's degree recipients.
While getting their bachelor's degree at USD, communications students borrow a median amount of $16,587 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all communications bachelor's degree recipients across the country is $27,493.
The typical student loan payment of a bachelor's degree student from the communications program at USD is $143 per month.
Out-of-state part-time undergraduates at USD paid an average of $376 per credit hour in 2022-2023. The average for in-state students was $259 per credit hour. The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $7,773 | $11,283 |
| Fees | $1,659 | $1,659 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $9,060 | $9,060 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $4,947 | $4,947 |
Learn more about USD tuition and fees.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 56 communications majors earned their bachelor's degree from USD. Of these graduates, 48% were men and 52% were women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at USD are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 88% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of South Dakota with a bachelor's in communications.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 1 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 49 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 2 |
| Other Races | 3 |
USD does not offer an online option for its communications bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the USD Online Learning page.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 6 communications majors earned their master's degree from USD. Of these graduates, 17% were men and 83% were women.
The majority of master's degree recipients in this major at USD are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 83% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of South Dakota with a master's in communications.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 1 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 |
| White | 5 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 0 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the communications majors at University of South Dakota.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Relations & Advertising | 3 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.