Best Colleges for Journalism

Choosing the right journalism program can significantly impact your career trajectory in an increasingly competitive media landscape. With 201 schools nationwide offering journalism degrees, students should prioritize programs with strong industry connections, hands-on newsroom experience, and access to multimedia training across digital platforms.

Look for curricula that emphasize both traditional reporting skills and emerging technologies like data journalism and social media strategy. Faculty with active industry experience and internship partnerships with major news organizations are essential. While journalism graduates earn an average of $32,199 annually, those from top programs often secure positions at leading publications and broadcasting networks, creating pathways to higher-paying roles in investigative reporting, editorial leadership, and specialized beats.

Schools Ranked

$41,529

Avg. Program Earnings

78.9%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	George Washington University Washington, District of Columbia	$47,260	85.2%	private-nonprofit
2	University of Connecticut Storrs, Connecticut	$44,276	83.8%	public
3	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$44,276	59.5%	public
4	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$44,276	56.7%	public
5	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, Connecticut	$44,276	56.9%	public
6	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$44,276	65.4%	public
7	University of Richmond University of Richmond, Virginia	$43,426	87.8%	private-nonprofit
8	Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois	$43,100	95.9%	private-nonprofit
9	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$42,682	92.0%	private-nonprofit
10	Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia	$42,682	94.9%	private-nonprofit
11	Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, California	$41,937	73.8%	private-nonprofit
12	University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska	$41,565	28.9%	public
13	Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts	$41,565	90.4%	private-nonprofit
14	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, Ohio	$40,393	87.7%	public
15	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, Minnesota	$40,298	84.8%	public
16	Auburn University Auburn, Alabama	$39,585	79.2%	public
17	University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, Wisconsin	$39,585	89.3%	public
18	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, Maryland	$39,559	88.6%	public
19	Elon University Elon, North Carolina	$39,369	83.0%	private-nonprofit
20	Chapman University Orange, California	$39,153	80.4%	private-nonprofit
21	Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, Indiana	$39,134	81.2%	public
22	Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts	$38,953	79.3%	private-nonprofit
23	Baylor University Waco, Texas	$38,906	80.2%	private-nonprofit
24	Pepperdine University Malibu, California	$38,871	84.7%	private-nonprofit
25	Miami University-Oxford Oxford, Ohio	$38,829	81.8%	public