Journalism Degree in Los Angeles, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Journalism degree analysis for Los Angeles, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$62K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
10 yrs
in Los Angeles
Cost of Living
141
index (100 = avg)
Journalism in Los Angeles, CA Overview
Los Angeles is one of California's top college towns, with 69 institutions and a student population of 322,771. Public tuition averages $13,804/year here — near the national average for public universities. Although national enrollment in Journalism has been declining, graduates with skills in Reporting and Investigative Journalism remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Los Angeles is approximately $62,040.
Category
Communications
Local Colleges
69
Public Tuition
$13,804/yr
Private Tuition
$59,151/yr
Room & Board
$17,998/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,255/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
47%
Journalism Salary in Los Angeles (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Los Angeles's cost of living index of 141 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Journalism salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Los Angeles adjustment factor: 1.41x based on the local cost of living index.
Journalism ROI Calculator for Los Angeles
Estimate your return on investment for a Journalism degree using local Los Angeles tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,804 | Private avg: $59,151
Los Angeles avg aid: $8,255/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$127,208
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,690
vs HS diploma in Los Angeles
ROI Payback Period
10 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Los Angeles
$267,592
Lifetime earnings premium ($394,800) minus total education cost ($127,208)
Student Loan Payoff for Journalism in Los Angeles
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Los Angeles for Journalism
UCLA
public
$13,804/yr
$55,216 total
USC
private
$63,468/yr
$253,872 total
Loyola Marymount University
private
$54,834/yr
$219,336 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Los Angeles City College
$1,540/yr
Santa Monica College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Journalism in Los Angeles
Los Angeles offers opportunities in Media companies, PR agencies, Tech companies for Journalism graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Los Angeles Hiring Sectors for Communications
Media companies
PR agencies
Tech companies
Marketing firms
Publishing
Common Journalism Job Titles
Journalism in Nearby California Cities
San Diego, CA
$62K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$57K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$50K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$52K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$49K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$51K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$58K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Bakersfield, CA
$59K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other Communications Majors in Los Angeles
Journalism Degree in Los Angeles — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Journalism ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Los Angeles.