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Best Schools for Journalism

Journalism graduates earn a median of $32,199 within two years of graduation, ranking #192 out of 292 tracked majors — 9% below the median across all fields. There are 201 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 12,875 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: George Washington University graduates earn $47,260 while CUNY York College graduates earn $15,922 — a $31,338 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Journalism graduates see an average 3% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

201
Schools
$32,199
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#192
of 292 Majors
12,875
Graduates

Public vs Private: Journalism

Public (146 schools)
$31,789
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (53 schools)
$33,523
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $1,734 more in early earnings on average for Journalism graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Journalism by State

California
19 schools
$32,774
New York
18 schools
$30,639
Illinois
12 schools
$30,260
Texas
10 schools
$33,195
Connecticut
8 schools
$38,884
Ohio
8 schools
$32,086
Georgia
8 schools
$28,577
Michigan
8 schools
$30,718

Top Journalism Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
G

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,777
Grads: 53
Acceptance: 43.5%
#2
U

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,444
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 53.9%
#3
U

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,444
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 87.0%
#4
U

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,444
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 86.5%
#5
U

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,444
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 80.2%
#6
U

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,444
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 86.5%
#7
U

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA · Private

$43,426
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 23.3%
#8
N

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$43,100
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,144
Grads: 137
Acceptance: 7.1%
#9
U

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,188
Grads: 79
Acceptance: 10.0%
#10
W

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 17.4%
#11
P

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, CA · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 81.8%
#12
U

University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,501
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 66.5%
#13
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,872
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 5.7%
#14
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$40,393
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,920
Grads: 68
Acceptance: 50.8%
#15
U

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

$40,298
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,410
Grads: 327
Acceptance: 77.0%
#16
A

Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

$39,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,959
Grads: 53
Acceptance: 50.5%
#17
U

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

$39,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,011
Grads: 103
Acceptance: 43.4%
#18
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$39,559
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,316
Grads: 147
Acceptance: 44.8%
#19
E

Elon University

Elon, NC · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 67.3%
#20
C

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$39,153
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,779
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 55.6%
#21
I

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

$39,134
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,589
Grads: 223
Acceptance: 80.4%
#22
E

Emerson College

Boston, MA · Private

$38,953
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,675
Grads: 118
Acceptance: 47.5%
#23
B

Baylor University

Waco, TX · Private

$38,906
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,631
Grads: 94
Acceptance: 51.0%
#24
P

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA · Private

$38,871
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,797
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 49.9%
#25
M

Miami University-Oxford

Oxford, OH · Public

$38,829
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,353
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 82.1%
#26
U

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public

$38,721
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,625
Grads: 127
Acceptance: 83.3%
#27
C

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

$38,649
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,869
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 29.8%
#28
S

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 73.3%
#29
B

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,717
Grads: 124
Acceptance: 10.8%
#30
H

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,777
Grads: 72
Acceptance: 70.6%
#31
S

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,773
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 49.0%
#32
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,196
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 42.6%
#33
U

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public

$38,197
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,418
Grads: 486
Acceptance: 77.0%
#34
G

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, GA · Public

$38,018
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,696
Grads: 107
Acceptance: 87.8%
#35
T

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$37,980
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,952
Grads: 135
Acceptance: 29.1%
#36
Q

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT · Private

$37,856
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,316
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 77.0%
#37
U

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS · Public

$37,808
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,913
Grads: 215
Acceptance: 88.2%
#38
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$37,624
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,480
Grads: 141
Acceptance: 83.9%
#39
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$37,415
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,198
Grads: 250
Acceptance: 90.2%
#40
S

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$37,208
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,564
Grads: 71
Acceptance: 96.2%
#41
U

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR · Public

$36,884
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,346
Grads: 146
Acceptance: 71.7%
#42
U

University of Denver

Denver, CO · Private

$36,852
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.2%
#43
L

Lincoln University

Lincoln University, PA · Public

$36,852
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 78.4%
#44
U

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,765
Grads: 60
Acceptance: 93.6%
#45
D

Drake University

Des Moines, IA · Private

$36,560
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,814
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 64.1%
#46
S

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private

$36,560
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 61.2%
#47
S

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

$36,308
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,363
Grads: 188
Acceptance: 41.7%
#48
S

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY · Public

$36,085
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 58.7%
#49
I

Iowa State University

Ames, IA · Public

$35,986
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,913
Grads: 84
Acceptance: 89.1%
#50
U

University of Georgia

Athens, GA · Public

$35,877
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,164
Grads: 119
Acceptance: 37.2%

Showing top 50 of 201 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

International/Global Studies $32,516 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $32,355 Natural Resources Conservation and Research $32,319 Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology $32,219 Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences $32,190 Human Services, General $32,082

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Journalism?
George Washington University ranks #1 for Journalism with median graduate earnings of $47,260 within two years. There are 201 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates earn an average of $32,199 within two years of graduation. This is near the median across all majors. Earnings range from $15,922 to $47,260 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Journalism program?
The average acceptance rate across Journalism programs is 72.2%. The most selective program is at Northeastern University with a 5.7% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Journalism?
Private Journalism programs average $33,523 in early earnings vs $31,789 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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