Journalism graduates earn an average annual wage of $95,096, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 31,070 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.

Key Statistics

64
Total Degrees Awarded (2023)
Not reported in dataset
$7,488
Median In-State Public Tuition
Not reported in dataset
$38,045
Median Out-of-State Private Tuition
Not reported in dataset
$95,096
Average Wage
Not reported in dataset
31,070
People in Workforce
Not reported in dataset
N/A
Average Employee Age
Not reported in dataset

Institutions

Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Journalism and the types of students that study this field.

Tuition Costs for Common Institutions

$7,488 Median In-State Public

$38,045 Median Out of State Private

Tuition costs for Journalism majors are, on average, $7,488 for in-state public colleges, and $38,045 for out of state private colleges.

Tuition costs comparison for Journalism programs.

Degrees Awarded Over Time

64 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023

This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Journalism from 2015 to 2023.

Historical trend of degrees awarded in Journalism.

Top 5 Schools by Enrollment

Schools with the largest enrollment offering Journalism programs.

Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition

# School State Tuition
1 Imperial Valley College CA $1,126
2 Compton College CA $1,142
3 El Camino Community College District CA $1,144
4 Laney College CA $1,148
5 Chabot College CA $1,150

Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Journalism programs.

Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price

# School State Net Price
1 College of the Sequoias CA $29
2 Coahoma Community College MS $560
3 Henry Ford College MI $576
4 Cerritos College CA $693
5 Moorpark College CA $742

Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Journalism programs.

Graduation Rates

61.01% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)

60.94% Average Graduation Rate

992 Institutions Reporting

49.48% - 72.19% Interquartile Range

Graduation/completion rates for Journalism programs across institutions.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Journalism graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.

Yearly Income for Common Jobs

$95,096 Average Wage in Workforce

The average salary for Journalism majors is $95,096.

Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Journalism majors.

Occupations by Share

31,070 2023 Workforce

The number of Journalism graduates in the workforce has been growing.

Various jobs filled by those with a major in Journalism by share of the total number of graduates.

Return on Investment & Value

Financial analysis of Journalism degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.

Financial Value Analysis

ROI data is not available for this degree program.

Financial value comparison for Journalism degree.

Diversity

Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Journalism in the United States.

Workforce Age

N/A Average Age in 2023

This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Journalism.

Age distribution for Journalism degree holders in the workforce.

Gender Distribution

64 Total Degrees Awarded

31 Male (48.44%)

33 Female (51.56%)

Gender distribution of Journalism degree recipients.

Race and Ethnicity Distribution

33 White (51.56%)

16 Hispanic or Latino (25.00%)

3 Black or African American (4.69%)

1 Asian (1.56%)

1 Two or More Races (1.56%)

Racial and ethnic distribution of Journalism degree recipients.

Degrees Awarded

The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Journalism are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.

Distribution of degree types awarded in Journalism.

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Journalism field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Required Skills

Journalism majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.

Rating of how necessary various skills are for Journalism majors.

Skills Bar Chart

This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.

Skill importance ratings for Journalism majors.

About

Journalism

In 2023, 64 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Journalism.

CIP Code

16.0904 - Journalism

Insights and Analysis

Journalism offers students a pathway to career success with diverse opportunities across multiple industries. Prospective students should carefully evaluate factors including costs, outcomes, program quality, and personal interests when making their educational decisions.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.

All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.