Communication Disorders Sciences and Services: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 447 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Communication Disorders Sciences and Services pays
Career outlook for Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates
The job market for the occupations Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Speech-language pathologists | 187,400 | +15.0% | $95,410 | Master's degree |
| Audiologists | 15,800 | +9.5% | $92,120 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services vs similar majors
How Communication Disorders Sciences and Services stacks up against the closest fields in Health Professions & Nursing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Health Professions & Nursing · this major | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 47 D | 80 A | 80 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $63,917 | $226,546 | $214,065 | $162,555 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $50,833 | $212,530 | $166,304 | $65,892 |
| ROI vs cost | +123% | +1,129% | +1,565% | +708% |
| Typical debt | $35,695 | $207,643 | $81,076 | $201,913 |
| Colleges offering it | 447 | 33 | 6 | 155 |
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Master's | $89,705 | — | +3,317% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $76,413 | $12,721 | +2,797% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | Associate's | $67,388 | $8,000 | +2,331% | Strong return |
| 4 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $71,831 | $11,000 | +2,064% | Strong return |
| 5 | Idaho State University Pocatello, ID | Master's | $96,340 | — | +2,005% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT | Master's | $85,082 | — | +1,743% | Strong return |
| 7 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Certificate | $93,690 | $41,000 | +1,712% | Strong return |
| 8 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | Associate's | $75,421 | — | +1,532% | Strong return |
| 9 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Certificate | $87,239 | — | +1,511% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Master's | $87,303 | — | +1,401% | Strong return |
| 11 | Towson University Towson, MD | Master's | $95,854 | — | +1,360% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT | Master's | $85,082 | — | +1,352% | Strong return |
| 13 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Certificate | $83,488 | — | +1,275% | Strong return |
| 14 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Associate's | $81,021 | — | +1,209% | Strong return |
| 15 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | Certificate | $78,619 | $38,404 | +1,165% | Strong return |
| 16 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $70,031 | $15,823 | +1,164% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Master's | $90,543 | $46,914 | +1,140% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT | Master's | $85,082 | — | +1,122% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT | Master's | $85,082 | — | +1,093% | Strong return |
| 20 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $65,573 | $14,750 | +1,013% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO | Master's | $98,889 | — | +963% | Strong return |
| 22 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Certificate | $99,007 | — | +881% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $59,252 | $15,000 | +844% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | Master's | $87,478 | — | +843% | Strong return |
| 25 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA | Master's | $102,594 | $82,000 | +840% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.