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2026 Highest Paid Communication Media Studies Grads in South Dakota

[Communication Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a communication media studies degree into the strongest early-career earnings.

College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying communication media studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Communication Media Studies Grads in South Dakota

2026 Highest Paid Communication Media Studies Grads in South Dakota

Below are the schools whose communication media studies graduates go on to earn the most.

Highest Paid Communication Media Studies Graduates

1

Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD

$43,841 Average Early-Career Salary

Leading the list is Black Hills State University, our #1 for communication media studies graduate salaries in South Dakota. Set in the town of Spearfish, Black Hills State University is a public institution. After graduating, communication media studies degree recipients from Black Hills State University typically earn about $43,841 annually.

2

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

$52,291 Average Early-Career Salary

Strong graduate earnings at University Of South Dakota earned it the #2 place for communication media studies. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a public institution. Communication Media Studies graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of about $52,291 a year early in their careers.

3

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

$45,065 Average Early-Career Salary

South Dakota State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in communication media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a public institution. Early-career communication media studies graduates from South Dakota State University make a median of around $45,065 per year.

View All Communication Media Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their communication media studies graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.

*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Graduate earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard) field-of-study earnings.

More about our data sources and methodologies.