Journalism Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Journalism degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
9.7 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Journalism in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/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 St. Louis is approximately $42,680.
Category
Communications
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Journalism Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Journalism salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Journalism ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Journalism degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$8,730
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
9.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$187,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($271,600) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Journalism in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Journalism
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Journalism in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Media companies, PR agencies, Tech companies for Journalism graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Communications
Media companies
PR agencies
Tech companies
Marketing firms
Publishing
Common Journalism Job Titles
Journalism in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$41K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$35K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$37K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$38K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$42K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$38K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$40K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$37K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Communications Majors in St. Louis
Journalism Degree in St. Louis — 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 St. Louis.