College Rankings

Best Journalism Schools

The top 25 of 182 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Journalism degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Journalism worth it?

If you are looking strictly at the starting salary of a local beat reporter, journalism can look like a tough financial bet. But this degree pays off predictably for students who are ruthless about minimizing their student debt. The value here is overwhelmingly concentrated at low-cost public universities with strong regional media pipelines, rather than the prestigious private institutions that charge a massive premium for their brand name. If you can get top-tier newsroom training without taking on a mountain of loans, the degree provides a versatile foundation in communication, research, and media production that translates well into both traditional news media and lucrative adjacent fields like corporate communications.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	University of Maryland-College Park	MD	55	$46,893	$15,678†	+$406K
2	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	CA	54	$48,637	$16,665†	+$420K
3	Ohio University-Eastern Campus	OH	51	$38,246	$3,925†	+$367K
4	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	OH	51	$38,246	$5,755†	+$359K
5	Ohio University-Southern Campus	OH	51	$38,246	$5,993†	+$358K
6	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	OH	51	$38,246	$5,650†	+$360K
7	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	OH	51	$38,246	$5,746†	+$359K
8	University of Florida-Online	FL	51	$38,164	$4,815†	+$362K
9	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	50	$42,605	$14,967†	+$366K
10	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	50	$42,450	$16,778†	+$357K
11	University of Florida	FL	50	$38,164	$6,541†	+$355K
12	George Washington University	DC	49	$52,015	$36,586	+$374K
13	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	49	$40,942	$17,354†	+$340K
14	Northwestern University	IL	48	$50,426	$29,167	+$388K
15	University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	48	$43,958	$20,268†	+$359K
16	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	48	$39,992	$16,264†	+$335K
17	Brigham Young University	UT	47	$46,652	$15,564	+$404K
18	University of Kansas	KS	47	$43,191	$18,059†	+$360K
19	Boston University	MA	47	$42,857	$24,402	+$331K
20	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	46	$33,250	$14,091†	+$276K
21	University of Georgia	GA	45	$36,636	$13,936†	+$311K
22	University of Southern California	CA	44	$44,651	$32,740	+$316K
23	Utah State University	UT	44	$41,431	$14,936†	+$355K
24	University of Mississippi	MS	44	$35,389	$13,314†	+$301K
25	Northeastern University	MA	43	$51,855	$30,915	+$395K
26	San Francisco State University	CA	43	$31,788	$12,278†	+$269K
27	University of Central Florida	FL	42	$40,945	$10,411†	+$368K
28	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	42	$39,336	$19,857†	+$314K
29	University of Arkansas	AR	42	$38,354	$18,209†	+$311K
30	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	42	$36,303	$14,355†	+$306K
31	Metropolitan State University of Denver	CO	41	$37,644	$15,327†	+$315K
32	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	41	$36,744	$15,300†	+$306K
33	University of Arizona	AZ	41	$36,521	$16,674†	+$299K
34	Oakland University	MI	41	$35,545	$9,120†	+$319K
35	CUNY Lehman College	NY	41	$26,319	$3,148†	+$251K
36	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	40	$40,575	$13,297†	+$353K
37	University of North Texas	TX	40	$38,118	$15,649†	+$319K
38	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	PA	40	$36,468	$19,550†	+$286K
39	California State University-Chico	CA	40	$35,668	$14,480†	+$299K
40	West Virginia University	WV	40	$34,075	$15,634†	+$278K
41	University of Colorado Boulder	CO	40	$34,022	$25,346†	+$239K
42	California State University-Sacramento	CA	40	$30,644	$9,338†	+$269K
43	California State University-Northridge	CA	40	$30,564	$7,021†	+$278K
44	Syracuse University	NY	39	$40,757	$38,793	+$252K
45	Indiana University-Indianapolis	IN	39	$38,540	$11,668†	+$339K
46	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus	CT	39	$24,026	$10,875†	+$197K
47	CUNY Brooklyn College	NY	39	$23,120	$3,103†	+$219K
48	Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	38	$38,246	$21,637†	+$296K
49	Michigan State University	MI	38	$36,912	$19,680†	+$290K
50	University of Nevada-Reno	NV	38	$36,109	$15,927†	+$297K
51	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	38	$31,955	$17,339†	+$250K
52	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	NY	38	$22,839	$3,033†	+$216K
53	Iowa State University	IA	37	$39,347	$18,589†	+$319K
54	Georgia College & State University	GA	37	$38,603	$20,686†	+$303K
55	University of Houston	TX	37	$36,226	$14,276†	+$305K
56	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	37	$36,139	$14,158†	+$305K
57	California State University-Long Beach	CA	37	$28,844	$10,440†	+$247K
58	University of Connecticut-Avery Point	CT	37	$24,026	$13,807†	+$185K
59	Chapman University	CA	36	$41,645	$46,555	+$230K
60	Southern Methodist University	TX	36	$40,502	$40,892	+$241K
61	Marquette University	WI	36	$38,700	$31,487	+$261K
62	Kansas State University	KS	36	$37,484	$19,406†	+$297K
63	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	MA	36	$37,091	$22,383†	+$281K
64	Rutgers University-Newark	NJ	36	$32,523	$19,703†	+$246K
65	Drake University	IA	35	$41,913	$29,127	+$303K
66	Quinnipiac University	CT	35	$40,184	$40,675	+$239K
67	Western Kentucky University	KY	35	$35,050	$10,990†	+$307K
68	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	NM	35	$32,825	$8,889†	+$293K
69	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	CT	35	$24,026	$16,403†	+$175K
70	Lehigh University	PA	34	$45,256	$36,931	+$305K
71	University of Miami	FL	34	$41,378	$37,244	+$265K
72	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University	FL	34	$36,356	$13,739†	+$309K
73	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	CO	34	$36,352	$21,279†	+$278K
74	University of Memphis	TN	34	$32,820	$12,397†	+$279K
75	Ball State University	IN	34	$31,398	$14,940†	+$254K
76	Northern Kentucky University	KY	34	$29,647	$8,191†	+$264K
77	University of Connecticut-Stamford	CT	34	$24,026	$16,798†	+$173K
78	University of Richmond	VA	33	$43,157	$31,309	+$306K
79	The College of New Jersey	NJ	33	$42,217	$27,646†	+$312K
80	The University of Alabama	AL	33	$35,509	$22,420†	+$265K
81	University of Iowa	IA	33	$34,743	$22,531†	+$257K
82	Georgia Southern University	GA	33	$33,798	$15,267†	+$277K
83	Northern Arizona University	AZ	33	$33,710	$14,158†	+$280K
84	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	33	$32,423	$15,489†	+$262K
85	CUNY York College	NY	33	$24,535	$4,456†	+$228K
86	Savannah State University	GA	33	$24,310	$8,172†	+$210K
87	American University	DC	32	$44,387	$41,943	+$276K
88	Creighton University	NE	32	$43,139	$31,568	+$305K
89	Fordham University	NY	32	$42,769	$44,338	+$250K
90	Pepperdine University	CA	32	$42,536	$58,098	+$193K
91	University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	32	$38,762	$22,811†	+$296K
92	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	32	$36,468	$32,875†	+$233K
93	Washington State University	WA	32	$36,273	$14,971†	+$303K
94	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	32	$32,523	$24,406†	+$228K
95	Marshall University	WV	32	$23,169	$7,502†	+$202K
96	Liberty University	VA	31	$39,592	$29,357	+$278K
97	Auburn University	AL	31	$38,357	$24,323†	+$286K
98	University of Rhode Island	RI	31	$37,875	$21,440†	+$293K
99	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	PA	31	$37,263	$16,804†	+$305K
100	Hofstra University	NY	31	$37,241	$34,176	+$236K
101	University of Kentucky	KY	31	$36,926	$18,851†	+$294K
102	Illinois State University	IL	31	$36,643	$19,398†	+$289K
103	University of Alaska Anchorage	AK	31	$36,200	$15,301†	+$301K
104	Northern Illinois University	IL	31	$31,753	$13,391†	+$264K
105	University at Albany	NY	31	$28,553	$17,167†	+$217K
106	Wayne State University	MI	31	$26,591	$12,766†	+$215K
107	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	30	$41,159	$24,022†	+$316K
108	Emerson College	MA	30	$39,703	$49,180	+$200K
109	DePaul University	IL	30	$37,388	$30,902	+$250K
110	Western Washington University	WA	30	$34,119	$21,193†	+$256K
111	Rowan University	NJ	30	$34,038	$22,408†	+$251K
112	University of Oregon	OR	30	$33,525	$22,182†	+$247K
113	Miami University-Oxford	OH	30	$32,840	$28,384†	+$215K
114	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	30	$32,553	$17,747†	+$255K
115	Eastern Michigan University	MI	30	$31,845	$15,407†	+$257K
116	University of Northern Colorado	CO	30	$30,216	$17,760†	+$231K
117	Loyola University Chicago	IL	29	$38,302	$36,079	+$239K
118	Loyola University New Orleans	LA	29	$37,206	$23,696	+$277K
119	University of Nebraska at Kearney	NE	29	$36,703	$16,242†	+$302K
120	Southern Connecticut State University	CT	29	$36,153	$20,857†	+$278K
121	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	29	$32,082	$18,976†	+$245K
122	University of West Georgia	GA	29	$27,268	$12,786†	+$222K
123	Baylor University	TX	28	$35,675	$41,104	+$192K
124	Canisius University	NY	28	$34,766	$17,940	+$276K
125	Central Connecticut State University	CT	28	$34,577	$16,857†	+$278K
126	Ithaca College	NY	28	$34,453	$33,926	+$209K
127	University of Idaho	ID	28	$33,253	$14,831†	+$273K
128	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	28	$32,294	$23,726†	+$228K
129	State University of New York at New Paltz	NY	28	$29,628	$18,809†	+$221K
130	Georgia State University	GA	28	$28,416	$15,931†	+$220K
131	University of Connecticut	CT	28	$24,026	$25,097†	+$140K
132	Biola University	CA	27	$41,997	$31,495	+$294K
133	Elon University	NC	27	$34,105	$41,555	+$175K
134	Arkansas Tech University	AR	27	$32,183	$12,970†	+$270K
135	Morgan State University	MD	27	$28,088	$14,985†	+$221K
136	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	26	$34,829	$25,648†	+$246K
137	St Bonaventure University	NY	26	$34,045	$27,074	+$232K
138	SUNY Brockport	NY	26	$33,085	$16,353†	+$265K
139	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	NY	26	$32,456	$17,156†	+$256K
140	University of Central Arkansas	AR	26	$31,911	$16,511†	+$253K
141	Middle Tennessee State University	TN	26	$30,659	$13,359†	+$253K
142	Radford University	VA	26	$25,675	$14,578†	+$198K
143	Gonzaga University	WA	25	$36,767	$35,119	+$227K
144	The University of Montana	MT	25	$35,924	$16,784†	+$292K
145	Suffolk University	MA	25	$33,628	$29,618	+$218K
146	Texas State University	TX	25	$33,255	$16,805†	+$265K
147	University of California-Irvine	CA	25	$31,102	$14,251†	+$254K
148	Kent State University at Kent	OH	25	$30,925	$20,787†	+$226K
149	Kennesaw State University	GA	25	$30,792	$15,048†	+$248K
150	St. John's University-New York	NY	24	$36,020	$29,999	+$240K
151	Mercer University	GA	24	$32,807	$23,847	+$233K
152	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	24	$31,068	$17,447†	+$241K
153	Temple University	PA	24	$30,959	$28,198†	+$197K
154	San Diego State University	CA	24	$30,269	$15,364†	+$241K
155	Angelo State University	TX	24	$30,008	$15,091†	+$240K
156	Hampton University	VA	24	$28,324	$25,319	+$182K
157	Appalachian State University	NC	24	$27,116	$16,836†	+$204K
158	Texas Southern University	TX	24	$18,301	$16,590†	+$117K
159	Point Park University	PA	23	$34,887	$25,942	+$245K
160	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	CA	23	$29,686	$13,171†	+$244K
161	North Greenville University	SC	22	$34,293	$21,063	+$259K
162	Columbia College Chicago	IL	22	$31,369	$26,598	+$207K
163	Texas Tech University	TX	22	$29,622	$19,070†	+$220K
164	University of Southern Mississippi	MS	22	$29,591	$21,708†	+$209K
165	Central State University	OH	22	$28,306	$13,096†	+$231K
166	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	AR	22	$27,259	$12,653†	+$222K
167	University of Maine	ME	21	$28,704	$17,510†	+$217K
168	SUNY at Fredonia	NY	21	$28,485	$15,897†	+$221K
169	SUNY at Purchase College	NY	21	$22,011	$18,913†	+$144K
170	University of Minnesota-Duluth	MN	20	$27,474	$18,743†	+$200K
171	Samford University	AL	19	$30,311	$32,622	+$173K
172	University of Central Oklahoma	OK	19	$28,139	$18,309†	+$208K
173	Flagler College	FL	19	$27,863	$30,525	+$157K
174	Pennsylvania Western University	PA	19	$27,620	$18,256†	+$203K
175	Lincoln University	MO	19	$26,356	$19,092†	+$187K
176	Montclair State University	NJ	19	$25,575	$15,566†	+$193K
177	Rust College	MS	19	$24,977	$12,587	+$199K
178	California Baptist University	CA	18	$26,026	$26,285	+$155K
179	Bloomfield College of Montclair State University	NJ	18	$25,575	$28,014†	+$144K
180	Louisiana Tech University	LA	18	$21,087	$11,864†	+$163K
181	Central Michigan University	MI	17	$25,033	$17,597†	+$180K
182	Widener University	PA	16	$22,058	$25,759	+$118K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

The University of Maryland-College Park takes the top spot because its Philip Merrill College of Journalism offers an unbeatable geographic advantage. Located just outside Washington, D.C., UMD feeds its graduates directly into the capital’s massive political media ecosystem. Students cut their teeth in the Capital News Service, producing bylined work for real news outlets. This means they graduate with a professional portfolio that gets them hired immediately by national broadcasters, political trade publications, and major wire services.

The most surprising takeaway from this ranking is the absolute dominance of Ohio University’s regional campuses, which sweep spots three through seven. Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism is a historic powerhouse in the field. By offering access to that same university network and degree through its ultra-affordable regional campuses, OU provides a massive return on investment, proving you don't need to live in a coastal media capital to get a highly profitable media education.

Traditional heavyweights like Northwestern’s Medill School and the University of Missouri—home of the famous, hands-on "Missouri Method"—still make strong showings based on their elite industry reputations. However, they are outpaced in pure value by public giants like Arizona State University. ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism operates essentially like a working newsroom in downtown Phoenix, delivering state-of-the-art broadcast and digital training at a fraction of the cost of the big-name private programs.

What is Journalism?

Journalism is the craft of gathering, verifying, and reporting the news. Day-to-day, reporters, editors, and producers chase down leads, interview sources, and distill complex events into compelling stories for digital, print, and broadcast platforms.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to go to a famous journalism school to get a job?

No. Editors and news directors care about your clips, your broadcast reel, and your ability to hit deadlines. While famous programs like Medill at Northwestern or Annenberg at USC offer incredible networking, a robust portfolio built at a state school's student newspaper or local PBS affiliate will always trump a prestigious diploma with no published work.

What is the difference between journalism and communications?

Journalism is strictly focused on reporting the news—finding facts, maintaining objectivity, and serving the public interest. Communications is a broader umbrella that includes public relations, marketing, and corporate messaging, where the goal is typically to advocate for a specific brand, client, or organization.

Will this degree pigeonhole me into a dying newspaper industry?

Not at all. Modern journalism programs are heavily focused on multimedia digital production, data analysis, and audience engagement. Those skills are highly transferable. Many journalism graduates pivot seamlessly into tech, content strategy, podcast production, and corporate communications, which often offer higher starting salaries and better hours than traditional newsrooms.