Journalism Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Gathering, reporting, and presenting news and information to the public.
Starting Salary
$44K
median
Mid-Career
$62K
salary
ROI Payback
6 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
4.5%
rate
Journalism Overview
Gathering, reporting, and presenting news and information to the public.
Category
Communications
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
62%
Enrollment Trend
declining
Online Available
Yes
Underemployment
30%
Lifetime Premium
$280K
Female Graduates
60%
Journalism Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$16,200
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$16,200
after scholarships
ROI Payback
2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$263,800
Lifetime earnings premium ($280,000) minus net degree cost ($16,200)
Journalism Salary Progression
Common Journalism Careers
Reporter
Editor
News Producer
Investigative Journalist
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Journalism
#1
Northwestern
#2
Columbia
#3
University of Missouri
#4
NYU
#5
USC
Related Majors
Journalism Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Journalism Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for journalism programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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