Journalism
Communication & Journalism
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,633 | $48,042 to $59,498 | 185 | 97% |
| Master's Degree | $71,658 | $60,191 to $79,708 | 24 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth -1% (2025 to 2035), about 42,500 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writers and Authors | $76,910 | -0.3% | 11,900 |
| Photographers | $44,660 | -0.7% | 10,700 |
| Editors | $77,920 | -1.1% | 7,900 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $62,200 | -5.9% | 3,400 |
| Film and Video Editors | $75,420 | +3.7% | 3,100 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | 2,400 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a journalism program, of 426 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
- University of North Texas
- Syracuse University
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- University of Georgia
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.