Best Journalism Programs in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Communication Colleges in California
This page ranks the 18 Journalism programs in California by the median earnings of Journalism graduates four years after completing. University of Southern California leads the list at $79,776, followed closely by Chapman University at $79,135.
Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $79,776 to $25,194, with a median of $56,226. For 4 of the 18 programs, the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions make up 61% of the list, with 11 schools alongside 7 private nonprofits. California State University-Long Beach ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
California State University-Northridge posts the lowest average net price at $7,021.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $79,776 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $79,776 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $79,135 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| Chapman University admits 65% of applicants and posts median earnings of $79,135 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $70,829 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| A public university in San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo shows median federal debt of $19,500 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 4 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $63,358 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| California State University-Chico reports an average net price of $14,480 and median earnings of $63,358 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Biola University · La Mirada, CA | $59,925 | $31,495 | $27,144 | 74.4% |
| Biola University ranks 1161st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $59,925 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $58,821 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| California Baptist University reports median federal debt of $26,000 among Journalism completers who borrowed and median earnings of $58,821 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | $58,801 | $58,098 | $50,560 | 62.9% |
| Pepperdine University carries an average net price of $58,098 and a school-wide median federal debt of $23,510 across all of Pepperdine University's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $57,492 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| University of California-Irvine admits 29% of applicants and reports median earnings of $57,492 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $57,260 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University ranks 51st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $12,278. | |||||
| 10 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $55,192 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach reports median earnings of $55,192 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $10,440. | |||||
| 11 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $53,997 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University shows median federal debt of $14,998 among Journalism completers who borrowed and median earnings of $53,997 four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $53,351 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge admits 93% of applicants and reports median earnings of $53,351 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $53,145 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| Ranks 13th on this list, California State University-Sacramento reports median earnings of $53,145 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $20,000 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 14 | Point Loma Nazarene University · San Diego, CA | $41,937 | $38,729 | $30,999 | 83.7% |
| A private nonprofit university in San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University has an average net price of $38,729 and an admission rate of 84%. | |||||
| 15 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $39,178 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits 98% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $20,000 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 16 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $30,771 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
| San Jose State University ranks 23rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $30,771 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of La Verne · La Verne, CA | $26,739 | $20,161 | $20,151 | 71.2% |
| With an average net price of $20,151 for families earning under $30,000, University of La Verne reports median earnings of $26,739 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $25,194 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills posts an average net price of $8,615 and an admission rate of 93%, with 28 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Journalism graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after finishing the program. For 4 of the 18 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked University of Southern California and second-ranked Chapman University is $641, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $54,582.