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# Best Journalism Programs in the Northeast (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Communication Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-communication-colleges-in-the-northeast/)

Regional list from [Best Journalism Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-journalism-programs/)

This page ranks the 41 Journalism programs in the Northeast by the median earnings of Journalism graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Lehigh University](/school/lehigh-university/majors/) leads the list at $81,935, followed by [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) at $74,709 and [Fordham University](/school/fordham-university/majors/) at $72,475.

Across the listed programs, the median figure is $54,717, with a spread of $55,196 from $81,935 to $26,739. For 3 of the 41 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 61% of the list, with 25 public and 16 private nonprofit programs represented. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College posts the lowest average net price at $3,033, and CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

41 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $81,935 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
|  | [Lehigh University](/school/lehigh-university/majors/) reports [$81,935 in median earnings](/school/lehigh-university/outcomes/) of Journalism graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on this list. |
| 2 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $74,709 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
|  | [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) has a 5% admission rate and a [median federal debt of $24,005](/school/northeastern-university/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed. |
| 3 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $72,475 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
|  | [Fordham University](/school/fordham-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $32,474](/school/fordham-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 alongside median earnings of $72,475 four years after completing. |
| 4 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $70,404 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
|  | [Syracuse University](/school/syracuse-university/majors/) ranks 4th on this list with [$70,404 in median earnings](/school/syracuse-university/outcomes/) and an earnings cohort of 123 graduates. |
| 5 | The College of New Jersey · Ewing, NJ | $67,038 | $27,646 | $7,908 | 62.3% |
|  | [The College of New Jersey](/school/the-college-of-new-jersey/majors/) shows a school-wide [median federal debt of $23,250](/school/the-college-of-new-jersey/cost/) across all borrowers who completed and an admission rate of 62%. |
| 6 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $65,617 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
|  | [Boston University](/school/boston-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $65,617](/school/boston-university/outcomes/) four years after completing and an average net price of $24,402. |
| 7 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $65,535 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
|  | [Stony Brook University](/school/stony-brook-university/majors/) [ranks 45th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/stony-brook-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $65,535 in median earnings. |
| 8 | Emerson College · Boston, MA | $63,337 | $49,180 | $32,650 | 51.3% |
|  | Emerson College carries a median federal debt of $23,610 among Journalism completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 51%. |
| 9 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $62,670 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
|  | [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) reports [$62,670 in median earnings](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/outcomes/) four years after completing and an average net price of $16,343 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $62,336 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
|  | [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 10th on this list with an earnings cohort of 190 graduates and [median earnings of $62,336](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/). |
| 11 | Quinnipiac University · Hamden, CT | $61,819 | $40,675 | $33,649 | 72.2% |
|  | [Quinnipiac University](/school/quinnipiac-university/majors/) has a 72% admission rate and a [median federal debt of $23,750](/school/quinnipiac-university/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed. |
| 12 | Hofstra University · Hempstead, NY | $61,609 | $34,176 | $28,219 | 68.1% |
|  | [Hofstra University](/school/hofstra-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $61,609](/school/hofstra-university/outcomes/) four years after completing and an average net price of $34,176. |
| 13 | Ithaca College · Ithaca, NY | $61,317 | $33,926 | $21,901 | 69.0% |
|  | [Ithaca College](/school/ithaca-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $61,317](/school/ithaca-college/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $33,926. |
| 14 | CUNY Brooklyn College · Brooklyn, NY | $60,272 | $3,103 | $1,029 | 58.4% |
|  | [CUNY Brooklyn College](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/majors/) ranks 14th on this list and carries an [average net price of $3,103](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/cost/). |
| 15 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $59,604 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
|  | [University of Connecticut](/school/university-of-connecticut/majors/) [admits 52% of applicants](/school/university-of-connecticut/admissions/) and its Journalism graduates earn a median of $59,604 four years after completing. |
| 16 | University at Albany · Albany, NY | $59,495 | $17,167 | $11,112 | 69.1% |
|  | Graduates of [University at Albany](/school/university-at-albany/majors/)'s Journalism program earn a [median of $59,495](/school/university-at-albany/outcomes/) four years after completing, and completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $22,467. |
| 17 | St. John's University-New York · Queens, NY | $59,067 | $29,999 | $27,787 | 83.4% |
|  | [St. John's University-New York](/school/st-johns-university-new-york/majors/) sits 17th on this page, with a [median of $59,067](/school/st-johns-university-new-york/outcomes/) in earnings for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | St Bonaventure University · Saint Bonaventure, NY | $58,816 | $27,074 | $15,651 | 81.7% |
|  | St Bonaventure University reports median earnings of $58,816 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 82%. |
| 19 | Suffolk University · Boston, MA | $57,220 | $29,618 | $24,745 | 82.3% |
|  | [Suffolk University](/school/suffolk-university/majors/) ranks 19th on this list and its Journalism graduates earn a [median of $57,220](/school/suffolk-university/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 20 | Central Connecticut State University · New Britain, CT | $56,990 | $16,857 | $13,589 | 73.3% |
|  | [Central Connecticut State University](/school/central-connecticut-state-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $16,857](/school/central-connecticut-state-university/cost/) and reports median earnings of $56,990 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 21 | University of Maine · Orono, ME | $54,717 | $17,510 | $12,642 | 96.6% |
|  | [University of Maine](/school/university-of-maine/majors/) [admits 97% of applicants](/school/university-of-maine/admissions/) and its Journalism graduates earn a median of $54,717 four years after completing. |
| 22 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · New York, NY | $54,425 | $3,033 | $607 | 47.5% |
|  | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/majors/) holds an [Azimuth composite rank of 2nd](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $54,425 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 23 | Duquesne University · Pittsburgh, PA | $54,081 | $37,730 | $29,986 | 83.6% |
|  | [Duquesne University](/school/duquesne-university/majors/) shows a [median federal debt of $26,244](/school/duquesne-university/cost/) across all of the school's borrowers who completed, while its Journalism graduates earn a median of $54,081 four years after completing. |
| 24 | CUNY York College · Jamaica, NY | $53,901 | $4,456 | $2,861 | 64.1% |
|  | [CUNY York College](/school/cuny-york-college/majors/) ranks 24th on this list and carries an [average net price of $4,456,](/school/cuny-york-college/cost/) with median earnings of $53,901 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | Montclair State University · Montclair, NJ | $53,579 | $15,566 | $10,880 | 87.9% |
|  | [Montclair State University](/school/montclair-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $53,579](/school/montclair-state-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 22 graduates. |
| 26 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $53,518 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
|  | [Temple University](/school/temple-university/majors/) [admits 80% of applicants](/school/temple-university/admissions/) and shows median earnings of $53,518 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 27 | SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY | $52,859 | $18,913 | $11,835 | 74.1% |
|  | [SUNY at Purchase College](/school/suny-at-purchase-college/majors/) ranks 27th on this list, and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a [median of $21,500](/school/suny-at-purchase-college/outcomes/) in federal loans. |
| 28 | University of Rhode Island · Kingston, RI | $52,115 | $21,440 | $14,368 | 72.2% |
|  | [University of Rhode Island](/school/university-of-rhode-island/majors/), a public university in Kingston, posts an [average net price of $21,440](/school/university-of-rhode-island/cost/) alongside median earnings of $52,115 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 29 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst · Amherst, MA | $52,011 | $22,383 | $10,164 | 59.7% |
|  | An [average net price of $10,164](/school/university-of-massachusetts-amherst/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $52,011 for Journalism graduates four years after completing at [University of Massachusetts-Amherst](/school/university-of-massachusetts-amherst/majors/). |
| 30 | State University of New York at Oswego · Oswego, NY | $50,813 | $16,236 | $8,714 | 80.6% |
|  | [State University of New York at Oswego](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-oswego/majors/) [ranks 337th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-oswego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Journalism graduates four years after completing earned a median of $50,813. |
| 31 | Southern Connecticut State University · New Haven, CT | $50,760 | $20,857 | $17,736 | 91.5% |
|  | [Southern Connecticut State University](/school/southern-connecticut-state-university/majors/) [admits 91% of applicants](/school/southern-connecticut-state-university/admissions/), and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $20,101 in federal loans. |
| 32 | SUNY Brockport · Brockport, NY | $50,073 | $16,353 | $10,911 | 70.7% |
|  | [SUNY Brockport](/school/suny-brockport/majors/) reports [median earnings of $50,073](/school/suny-brockport/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 33 graduates. |
| 33 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania · Indiana, PA | $49,625 | $16,804 | $12,364 | 90.8% |
|  | [Indiana University of Pennsylvania](/school/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) ranks 33rd on this list, and its Journalism graduates four years after completing earned a [median of $49,625](/school/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/). |
| 34 | CUNY Lehman College · Bronx, NY | $49,025 | $3,148 | $1,589 | 56.6% |
|  | [CUNY Lehman College](/school/cuny-lehman-college/majors/) posts an [average net price of $3,148,](/school/cuny-lehman-college/cost/) and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $10,950 in federal loans. |
| 35 | Rowan University · Glassboro, NJ | $48,057 | $22,408 | $15,305 | 77.7% |
|  | [Rowan University](/school/rowan-university/majors/) [admits 78% of applicants](/school/rowan-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $48,057 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 36 | University of Scranton · Scranton, PA | $47,302 | $32,568 | $23,896 | 81.2% |
|  | [University of Scranton](/school/university-of-scranton/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Scranton, shows an [average net price of $23,896](/school/university-of-scranton/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $47,302 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 37 | Point Park University · Pittsburgh, PA | $45,859 | $25,942 | $22,436 | 96.9% |
|  | Point Park University admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $45,859 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 38 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh · Plattsburgh, NY | $40,034 | $17,156 | $9,400 | 78.4% |
|  | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh/majors/) posts an [average net price of $17,156,](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh/cost/) and its Journalism graduates four years after completing earn a median of $40,034. |
| 39 | State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY | $36,085 | $18,809 | $10,541 | 61.6% |
|  | With a 62% admission rate, [State University of New York at New Paltz](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz/majors/) reports [median earnings of $36,085](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 40 | Susquehanna University · Selinsgrove, PA | $33,176 | $28,819 | $19,757 | 81.4% |
|  | [Susquehanna University](/school/susquehanna-university/majors/) reports [$33,176 in median earnings](/school/susquehanna-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 6 graduates. |
| 41 | SUNY at Fredonia · Fredonia, NY | $26,739 | $15,897 | $9,395 | 77.7% |
|  | [SUNY at Fredonia](/school/suny-at-fredonia/majors/) ranks 41st on this list and posts an [average net price of $9,395](/school/suny-at-fredonia/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |

## 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 the Northeast appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 3 of the 41 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 top-ranked program, Lehigh University, reports median earnings of $81,935, which is $7,226 above the $74,709 posted by second-ranked Northeastern University.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Journalism Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-journalism-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Top Journalism Programs in the Midwest by Earnings](/rankings/best-journalism-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Journalism Programs in the South](/rankings/best-journalism-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Journalism Programs in the West](/rankings/best-journalism-programs-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Communication Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-communication-colleges-in-the-northeast/)
-   Communication Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility