Best Journalism Programs in the West (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Journalism Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 41 Journalism programs in the West by median earnings of Journalism graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of Southern California leads the list at $79,776, followed by Chapman University at $79,135 and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo at $70,829.
Across the listed schools, reported medians range from $79,776 to $20,140, with a median of $54,322. For 8 of the 41 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 76% of the list, with 31 public and 10 private nonprofit schools represented. California State University-Northridge posts the lowest average net price at $7,021, while California State University-Long Beach ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
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, with 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 posts an average net price of $46,555 and 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 reports median earnings of $70,829 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $64,224 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion admits 90% of applicants and shows median earnings of $64,224 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $63,358 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| California State University-Chico reports median federal debt of $18,618 among Journalism completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $63,358 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $62,743 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| Gonzaga University ranks 6th on this list and reports median earnings of $62,743 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Biola University · La Mirada, CA | $59,925 | $31,495 | $27,144 | 74.4% |
| Biola University posts an average net price of $31,495 and median federal debt of $27,000 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 8 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $58,821 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| California Baptist University reports median earnings of $58,821 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 13 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 9 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | $58,801 | $58,098 | $50,560 | 62.9% |
| Pepperdine University shows median federal debt of $23,510 across all of the school's borrowers who completed, and median earnings of $58,801 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $58,795 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
| Washington State University ranks 10th on this list and reports an average net price of $14,971 alongside median earnings of $58,795 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $57,868 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
| Northern Arizona University admits 90% of applicants and reports median federal debt of $18,062 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 12 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $57,697 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University reports median earnings of $57,697 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 68 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 13 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $57,603 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| University of Northern Colorado reports $57,603 in median earnings for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,760. | |||||
| 14 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $57,492 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| With an admission rate of 29%, University of California-Irvine ranks 12th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 15 | University of Alaska Anchorage · Anchorage, AK | $57,321 | $15,301 | $11,582 | Not reported |
| University of Alaska Anchorage shows median federal debt of $20,210 across all of the school's borrowers who completed, and its Journalism graduates earned a median of $57,321 four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $57,260 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University ranks 16th on this list, with median earnings of $57,260 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $57,079 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder posts an average net price of $25,346 and median federal debt of $15,250 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 18 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $55,676 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| Admitting 86% of applicants, University of Arizona reports median earnings of $55,676 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $55,615 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| University of Oregon ranks 384th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a Journalism earnings cohort of 139 graduates. | |||||
| 20 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $55,192 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach reports an average net price of $10,440 and median earnings of $55,192 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 21 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $54,322 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
| University of Nevada-Reno ranks 21st on this list, with median federal debt of $19,500 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 22 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $53,997 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| An admission rate of 36% coincides with median earnings of $53,997 for San Diego State University's Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $53,528 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports an average net price of $21,279 and median federal debt of $21,000 among Journalism completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 24 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $53,351 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $53,351 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 25 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $53,145 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| A public university in Sacramento, California State University-Sacramento reports $53,145 in median earnings for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,338. | |||||
| 26 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $52,760 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus admits 95% of applicants and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $14,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 27 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $50,338 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Provo, Brigham Young University ranks 27th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 28 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $47,460 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver posts median earnings of $47,460 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $12,481 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 29 | The University of Montana · Missoula, MT | $46,267 | $16,784 | $13,960 | 95.9% |
| The University of Montana ranks 29th on this list and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $25,260 in federal loans. | |||||
| 30 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $45,765 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% |
| With an admission rate of 89%, New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports median earnings of $45,765 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 31 | University of Idaho · Moscow, ID | $45,288 | $14,831 | $11,270 | 75.5% |
| University of Idaho shows an average net price of $14,831, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $21,982 in federal loans. | |||||
| 32 | Point Loma Nazarene University · San Diego, CA | $41,937 | $38,729 | $30,999 | 83.7% |
| Point Loma Nazarene University reports median earnings of $41,937 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $30,999 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 33 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $39,178 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt ranks 390th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $20,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 34 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $38,934 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% |
| University of Wyoming admits 97% of applicants, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $18,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 35 | University of Denver · Denver, CO | $36,852 | $36,131 | $20,097 | 77.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Denver, University of Denver reports median earnings of $36,852 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 36 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $33,565 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 72nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $6,384 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 37 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $30,771 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
| San Jose State University reports median earnings of $30,771 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with 27 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 38 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $29,141 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
| An average net price of $10,675 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with University of Hawaii at Manoa's 38th position on this list. | |||||
| 39 | University of La Verne · La Verne, CA | $26,739 | $20,161 | $20,151 | 71.2% |
| University of La Verne, a private nonprofit university in La Verne, admits 71% of applicants and ranks 473rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 40 | 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 median earnings of $25,194 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $20,140 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| With 11 graduates in the earnings cohort, Eastern Washington University reports median earnings of $20,140 four years after completing its Journalism program. | |||||
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 West appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 8 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 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 $59,636.