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Journalism

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Journalism majors learn to report, write, and tell true stories across platforms—print, broadcast, audio, and digital. Coursework covers reporting and interviewing, news writing and editing, media law and ethics, photojournalism, data journalism, and multimedia production. From your first year you'll be in newsrooms producing real work on deadline.

Most programs run a student newspaper, news site, TV newscast, or radio station where you can publish and broadcast before you graduate, and many require an internship at a news outlet, magazine, or digital newsroom—often the thing that lands your first job.

What you'll do after college

Grads work as reporters, editors, producers, anchors, photojournalists, and multimedia journalists at newspapers, magazines, wire services, TV and radio stations, and digital news outlets. Some specialize in investigative, political, sports, science, or data journalism; others move into documentary, audio and podcasting, or communications roles.

The industry has been reshaped by digital platforms, so most jobs now expect comfort with video, audio, and social distribution alongside sharp writing and reporting. Entry pay is modest and the hours can be brutal, but the work offers a front-row seat to history and a clear public purpose.

Famous graduates

  • Christiane Amanpour — CNN Chief International Anchor; B.A. in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island
  • Dan Rather — Longtime CBS Evening News anchor; B.A. in Journalism from Sam Houston State University
  • George R.R. Martin — Game of Thrones novelist; B.S.J. and M.S.J. in Journalism from Northwestern University (Medill)
  • Brad Pitt — Hollywood icon; journalism major at the University of Missouri who left two credits shy of his degree

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$55,942
1,458
100–85%
$55,464
3,354
85–72%
$57,223
3,389
72–35%
$62,107
1,448
35–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$47,628
1,091
400–1100
$56,531
2,989
1100–1240
$60,153
2,545
1250–1400
$64,948
1,166
1400–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$43,466p10 $62,784p90 Arts Work College Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–25 Private University 21–40 Private University 1–20 Emerson College · $61,538 Bennington College · $40,438 The New School · $54,079 SUNY at Purchase College · $48,662 Columbia College Chicago · $49,778 Oklahoma City University · $49,415 College of the Ozarks · $39,290 Denison University · $59,106 Rust College · $35,380 Oakwood University · $49,821 Dordt University · $51,692 Drury University · $45,698 Elizabethtown College · $54,357 North Central College · $53,114 Augustana College (IL) · $55,068 Eckerd College · $45,031 Knox College · $51,453 Taylor University · $52,289 Doane University · $49,239 Susquehanna University · $47,128 Huntington University · $45,895 Pacific University · $54,479 Simpson College · $56,161 Franklin College · $52,017 Cal State Long Beach · $54,294 University of California, Irvine · $56,342 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $67,804 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $44,806 San Diego State University · $52,917 Cal State Los Angeles · $46,391 College of New Jersey · $65,697 University of Washington · $73,747 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · $56,533 Morgan State University · $47,678 State University of New York at New Paltz · $52,654 Stony Brook University · $67,142 San Jose State University · $69,181 CUNY Brooklyn College · $57,398 Northern Illinois University · $47,283 University of Connecticut · $66,259 Pennsylvania State University · $61,948 University of South Carolina · $55,488 New Mexico State University · $42,400 Tarleton State University · $52,880 CUNY Lehman College · $61,643 CUNY York College · $44,226 Central Connecticut State University · $55,850 Georgia State University · $50,652 University of Arkansas at Little Rock · $44,826 Central State University · $36,745 Northwestern Oklahoma State University · $46,156 Illinois State University · $48,505 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $58,874 University of New Mexico · $51,500 Arkansas State University · $40,792 Southern Arkansas University · $44,066 Texas Southern University · $51,133 Wayne State University · $51,442 Appalachian State University · $48,078 Fresno State · $49,458 Kentucky State University · $32,000 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $67,369 Louisiana Tech University · $40,396 University of Houston · $49,505 Austin Peay State University · $43,515 Ball State University · $54,057 Central Michigan University · $38,638 Eastern Michigan University · $48,222 Oklahoma State University · $53,728 University at Albany · $56,664 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff · $39,705 Texas Tech University · $51,176 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $56,175 Texas State University · $40,380 University of Colorado Boulder · $75,662 University of South Alabama · $46,183 Cal State Sacramento · $56,697 Eastern Illinois University · $52,957 Georgia Southern University · $49,630 Indiana University Southeast · $44,555 Marshall University · $47,330 Minnesota State University Moorhead · $47,953 Missouri State University - Springfield · $43,814 Montclair State University · $52,507 Murray State University · $44,301 Northeastern State University · $45,576 Northwest Missouri State University · $53,908 Oakland University · $49,213 Ohio University · $58,976 Radford University · $48,517 Salem State University · $53,160 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $46,940 Temple University · $54,063 Troy University · $43,034 University of Central Arkansas · $44,341 University of Memphis · $48,019 University of Nebraska at Kearney · $41,276 University of Northern Colorado · $53,764 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $57,281 University of Southern Indiana · $47,767 Western Illinois University · $51,233 Miami University - Ohio · $61,520 University of Alabama · $56,575 University of Arkansas · $60,034 University of Idaho · $44,382 University of Mississippi · $61,775 Washington State University · $57,619 Indiana University · $65,840 SUNY Brockport · $42,485 University of Rhode Island · $49,716 Rutgers University - Newark · $62,307 University of Missouri · $68,004 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire · $48,373 Angelo State University · $43,512 Chico State · $56,247 Middle Tennessee State University · $48,933 Northern Arizona University · $48,442 University of Oregon · $54,179 Youngstown State University · $43,107 Coastal Carolina University · $45,822 Grand Valley State University · $48,986 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $56,162 State University of New York at Oswego · $49,823 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $41,628 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $51,416 Western Washington University · $52,942 University of Central Oklahoma · $41,110 University of North Texas · $53,717 Bowling Green State University · $45,711 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $36,866 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $55,367 Eastern Washington University · $52,780 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $44,882 Kennesaw State University · $53,273 Kent State University at Kent · $48,848 Michigan State University · $58,101 Savannah State University · $48,748 Southern Connecticut State University · $49,745 University of Iowa · $57,097 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater · $50,223 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $46,060 Rowan University · $53,282 Arkansas Tech University · $39,170 Cal State Dominguez Hills · $51,016 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · $49,469 Iowa State University · $52,095 Northern Kentucky University · $44,790 SUNY Buffalo State University · $45,619 South Dakota State University · $45,114 University of Arizona · $59,230 University of Cincinnati · $47,364 University of Maine · $53,623 University of Nevada, Reno · $53,852 West Virginia University · $59,325 Western Kentucky University · $43,572 Wichita State University · $43,818 University of Nebraska at Omaha · $57,085 Arizona State University · $61,075 Cal State Northridge · $53,354 Georgia College & State University · $55,713 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $45,778 University of Kansas · $62,205 University of Kentucky · $47,621 University of Montana · $35,865 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $47,956 SUNY at Fredonia · $39,802 North Dakota State University · $54,955 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown · $54,319 University of Southern Mississippi · $48,425 San Francisco State University · $65,760 Utah State University · $55,250 Pennsylvania Western University · $41,348 Kansas State University · $55,042 University of Wyoming · $55,091 Sam Houston State University · $52,102 West Texas A&M University · $44,821 Cameron University · $42,546 Langston University · $44,340 Brigham Young University · $54,592 Union University · $47,648 Fairfield University · $66,501 Southeastern University · $49,493 Fordham University · $71,026 Loyola Marymount University · $65,383 Southern Methodist University · $67,878 Texas Christian University · $65,831 Azusa Pacific University · $53,559 Baylor University · $61,982 Loyola University New Orleans · $53,949 Oklahoma Baptist University · $44,200 Asbury University · $46,608 Chapman University · $69,171 Creighton University · $51,720 High Point University · $53,132 Milligan University · $49,738 Spring Arbor University · $50,555 Biola University · $37,551 Harding University · $48,590 Messiah University · $43,998 Missouri Baptist University · $48,279 Evangel University · $43,930 Campbellsville University · $42,556 University of Scranton · $46,356 American University · $55,636 Our Lady of the Lake University · $49,109 Sacred Heart University · $65,513 The Master's University and Seminary · $43,375 Ashland University · $46,481 California Baptist University · $57,645 Pepperdine University · $57,625 Queens University of Charlotte · $50,761 Seton Hall University · $60,633 Abilene Christian University · $48,754 North Greenville University · $36,955 Elmhurst University · $54,327 Lewis University · $52,958 Concordia College at Moorhead · $49,899 Mount Saint Mary College · $61,911 St. Ambrose University · $52,965 Southern Adventist University · $53,382 Loyola University Chicago · $55,384 Mercer University · $52,118 Baldwin Wallace University · $46,828 Louisiana Christian University · $50,813 Malone University · $46,455 Marquette University · $65,829 St. Bonaventure University · $51,471 Trevecca Nazarene University · $43,466 Gardner-Webb University · $40,804 Gonzaga University · $50,880 St. Joseph's University - New York · $53,296 Canisius University · $50,411 Dominican University · $52,387 Mount Mercy University · $49,046 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $45,471 Siena College · $56,665 Bloomfield College · $52,507 Duquesne University · $52,409 Gannon University · $51,191 Point Loma Nazarene University · $51,107 Samford University · $49,222 Oral Roberts University · $44,009 St. John's University - New York · $46,630 Wingate University · $55,507 Campbell University · $50,524 DePaul University · $55,947 University of Olivet · $49,444 Palm Beach Atlantic University · $43,427 Seattle Pacific University · $55,396 Belmont University · $58,586 North Central University · $49,859 Oklahoma Christian University · $43,933 Florida Institute of Technology · $58,851 Rochester Institute of Technology · $65,437 Hampton University · $56,384 Syracuse University · $72,696 University of Tampa · $56,290 Flagler College · $46,032 Lake Erie College · $51,984 Hofstra University · $60,154 Webster University · $47,790 Quinnipiac University · $67,047 Drake University · $57,439 Elon University · $62,026 Bradley University · $54,072 Long Island University · $46,347 Roger Williams University · $61,978 Suffolk University · $56,076 University of La Verne · $55,708 Lipscomb University · $52,998 Ithaca College · $59,535 Pace University · $61,904 Butler University · $52,222 Husson University · $43,066 Point Park University · $44,514 Rider University · $55,965 Marietta College · $54,144 University of Denver · $59,844 Widener University · $52,650 University of Florida · $58,392 University of Georgia · $61,416 University of Maryland, College Park · $70,492 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $57,331 University of Texas at Austin · $61,070 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $62,307 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $68,253 Texas A&M University - College Station · $56,799 Auburn University · $51,515 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $51,252 University of Central Florida · $59,669 Ohio State University · $63,824 Washington & Lee University · $79,742 University of Southern California · $73,113 Boston University · $73,406 University of Miami · $61,426 Lehigh University · $80,296 Northeastern University · $62,784 University of Richmond · $62,578 George Washington University · $81,856 Northwestern University · $50,861 Arts: mean $50,652 Work College: mean $39,290 Liberal Arts: mean $50,466 Public University: mean $51,150 Religious University: mean $52,070 Private University: mean $56,043 Public University 1–25: mean $60,193 Private University 21–40: mean $71,900 Private University 1–20: mean $50,861 All colleges: p10 $43,466 All colleges: p90 $62,784
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Journalism 315 9,649 36% / 64% 2% $53,151 95%
Journalism 281 8,035 35% / 65% 3% $52,631 95%
Broadcast Journalism 39 535 54% / 46% 1% $50,052 96%
Journalism and Mass Communication 3 230 30% / 70% 2% $65,554 99%
Agricultural Communication/Journalism 7 131 9% / 91% 1% $54,149 97%
Digital Journalism 3 110 41% / 59% 0% $58,103 94%
Digital and Broadcast Journalism 1 109 44% / 56% 2% $60,906 93%
Sports Journalism 1 106 78% / 22% 1% $58,667 100%
Multimedia Journalism 1 85 35% / 65% 0% $50,880 95%
Agricultural Communications and Journalism 1 66 18% / 82% 0% $56,760 95%
Photojournalism 9 63 25% / 75% 2% $53,987 94%
Journalism and Design 1 63 21% / 79% 8% $54,079 90%
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 7 58 38% / 62% 0% $52,326 96%
Journalism and Public Interest Communication 1 33 21% / 79% 15% $73,747 97%
Journalism and Media Studies 1 20 45% / 55% 10% $57,398 94%
Journalism and New Media 1 4 50% / 50% 25% $57,645 95%
Science Journalism 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $40,438