by our College Data Analytics Team
[Instructional Media Design](/majors/education/instructional-media-design/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a instructional media design degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying instructional media design schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose instructional media design graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Concordia University Irvine, our #1 for instructional media design graduate salaries in California. Located in the city of Irvine, Concordia University Irvine is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career instructional media design graduates from Concordia University Irvine make a median of around $106,357 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at California State University Monterey Bay earned it the #2 place for instructional media design. Set in the suburb of Seaside, California State University Monterey Bay is a public institution. Students who complete the instructional media design program here go on to a median salary of roughly $89,180.
Students chasing top earnings in instructional media design will find them at National University, which ranked #3. National University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. Students who complete the instructional media design program here go on to a median salary of roughly $85,859.
California State University Long Beach produces some of the highest-paid graduates in instructional media design, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a public institution. Early-career instructional media design graduates from California State University Long Beach make a median of around $80,952 per year.
California State University Fullerton came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying instructional media design schools. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a public institution. Students who complete the instructional media design program here go on to a median salary of roughly $78,229.
California State University East Bay earned the #6 position for instructional media design graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Hayward, California State University East Bay is a public institution. Instructional Media Design graduates of California State University East Bay earn a median of about $74,406 a year early in their careers.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries instructional media design graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 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.
More about our data sources and methodologies.