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# Best Journalism Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks 188 Journalism programs in the United States by median earnings of Journalism graduates four years after completing. [Lehigh University](/school/lehigh-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $81,935 four years after completing, just $8 ahead of [George Washington University](/school/george-washington-university/majors/) at $81,927.

Across the listed schools, the median figure is $53,322, with a range from $81,935 to $20,140.

Public institutions account for 73% of the programs, or 137 of the 188 schools. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best position on the page.

The lowest average net price belongs to CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, at $3,033.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 188 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 [median earnings of $81,935](/school/lehigh-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list, alongside an admission rate of 26%. |
| 2 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $81,927 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
|  | [George Washington University](/school/george-washington-university/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list with [median earnings of $81,927](/school/george-washington-university/outcomes/) four years after completing, and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $25,000 in federal loans. |
| 3 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $79,776 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) [admits 10% of applicants](/school/university-of-southern-california/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $79,776 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $79,135 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
|  | [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $33,559](/school/chapman-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, while its Journalism graduates earned a median of $79,135 four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $75,967 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/) ranks 5th on this list and reports [median earnings of $75,967](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 196 graduates in the earnings data. |
| 6 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $74,709 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 5%](/school/northeastern-university/admissions/), [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) is the most selective school on this page, and its Journalism graduates earned a median of $74,709 four years after completing. |
| 7 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $72,475 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
|  | [Fordham University](/school/fordham-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $26,324](/school/fordham-university/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $72,475 four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $71,466 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
|  | [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) ranks 8th on this list and reports an [average net price of $15,978](/school/university-of-miami/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, while its Journalism graduates earned a median of $71,466 four years after completing. |
| 9 | 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](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) reports [median earnings of $70,829](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,665. |
| 10 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $70,404 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
|  | [Syracuse University](/school/syracuse-university/majors/) ranks 10th on this list with [median earnings of $70,404](/school/syracuse-university/outcomes/) four years after completing, and its Journalism completers who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. |
| 11 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $69,964 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
|  | Elon University reports an average net price of $26,523 for families earning under $30,000, while its Journalism graduates earned a median of $69,964 four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $69,016 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
|  | [University of Missouri-Columbia](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/) reports [median earnings of $69,016](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with 390 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 13 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $68,128 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
|  | Ranked 13th on this list, [University of Maryland-College Park](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/majors/) reports [$68,128 in median earnings](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/outcomes/) for Journalism graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $2,962 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 14 | Creighton University · Omaha, NE | $67,808 | $31,568 | $20,472 | 79.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Omaha, [Creighton University](/school/creighton-university/majors/) ranks 14th on this list and shows a [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/creighton-university/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $67,539 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
|  | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) posts [median earnings of $67,539](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 42%. |
| 16 | The College of New Jersey · Ewing, NJ | $67,038 | $27,646 | $7,908 | 62.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [The College of New Jersey](/school/the-college-of-new-jersey/majors/) with a [median of $23,250](/school/the-college-of-new-jersey/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school ranks 484th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 17 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $66,799 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
|  | [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) ranks 17th on this list, reporting [$66,799 in median earnings](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,778. |
| 18 | American University · Washington, DC | $66,635 | $41,943 | $23,233 | 62.0% |
|  | With a [median federal debt of $24,976](/school/american-university/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed, [American University](/school/american-university/majors/) reports median earnings of $66,635 four years after completing. |
| 19 | University of Arkansas · Fayetteville, AR | $66,087 | $18,209 | $14,319 | 74.3% |
|  | [University of Arkansas](/school/university-of-arkansas/majors/) [admits 74% of applicants](/school/university-of-arkansas/admissions/) and reports $66,087 in median earnings for its Journalism graduates four years after completing. |
| 20 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $65,617 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
|  | [Boston University](/school/boston-university/majors/) ranks 20th on this list, with [median earnings of $65,617](/school/boston-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,500 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 21 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $65,535 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
|  | [Stony Brook University](/school/stony-brook-university/majors/) reports [$65,535 in median earnings](/school/stony-brook-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, and ranks 45th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 22 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $64,224 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | A public university in Tempe, [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) shows a [median federal debt of $18,340](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/cost/) among Journalism completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 90%. |
| 23 | Baylor University · Waco, TX | $63,622 | $41,104 | $22,024 | 51.3% |
|  | [Baylor University](/school/baylor-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $63,622](/school/baylor-university/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $41,104. |
| 24 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $63,358 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
|  | [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) ranks 24th on this list, with [median earnings of $63,358](/school/california-state-university-chico/outcomes/) for its Journalism graduates four years after completing and a median federal debt of $18,618 among Journalism completers who borrowed. |
| 25 | Emerson College · Boston, MA | $63,337 | $49,180 | $32,650 | 51.3% |
|  | Emerson College reports median earnings of $63,337 for its Journalism graduates four years after completing, with 108 graduates in the earnings cohort. |

Continue by region[Top Journalism Programs in the Midwest by Earnings](/rankings/best-journalism-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Journalism Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-journalism-programs-in-the-northeast/)[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/)

## 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 United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished. For 23 of the 188 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 Lehigh University and second-ranked George Washington University is just $8, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $61,795.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Communication Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-communication-colleges/)
-   Communication Colleges for Social Mobility