Journalism Degree in San Antonio, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Journalism degree analysis for San Antonio, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$74K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8 yrs
in San Antonio
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Journalism in San Antonio, TX Overview
San Antonio is one of Texas's top college towns, with 58 institutions and a student population of 95,539. Public tuition averages $10,740/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 San Antonio is approximately $52,800.
Category
Communications
Local Colleges
58
Public Tuition
$10,740/yr
Private Tuition
$40,722/yr
Room & Board
$10,768/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,745/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
66%
Journalism Salary in San Antonio (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for San Antonio's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Journalism salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.San Antonio adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Journalism ROI Calculator for San Antonio
Estimate your return on investment for a Journalism degree using local San Antonio tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,740 | Private avg: $40,722
San Antonio avg aid: $13,745/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,032
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$10,800
vs HS diploma in San Antonio
ROI Payback Period
8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in San Antonio
$249,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($336,000) minus total education cost ($86,032)
Student Loan Payoff for Journalism in San Antonio
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in San Antonio for Journalism
University of Texas at San Antonio
public
$10,740/yr
$42,960 total
Trinity University
private
$47,908/yr
$191,632 total
St. Mary's University
private
$33,536/yr
$134,144 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Alamo Colleges
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Journalism in San Antonio
San Antonio offers opportunities in Media companies, PR agencies, Tech companies for Journalism graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key San Antonio Hiring Sectors for Communications
Media companies
PR agencies
Tech companies
Marketing firms
Publishing
Common Journalism Job Titles
Journalism in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$51K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
Dallas, TX
$46K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$47K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$44K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$41K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$41K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$36K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$37K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other Communications Majors in San Antonio
Journalism Degree in San Antonio — 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 San Antonio.