U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 37 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 59% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,250.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $22,808. College Scorecard.
ATU Journalism: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Journalism nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ATU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,426 | $53,556 | 7.9 years |
| $30–48k | $11,165 | $48,121 | 7.1 years |
| $48–75k | $13,130 | $56,590 | 8.4 years |
| $75–110k | $14,675 | $63,249 | 9.3 years |
| $110k+ | $15,543 | $66,990 | 9.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (32% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Journalism graduates 4 years after graduating ($39,173) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,774 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Journalism at Arkansas colleges
Every Arkansas college we cover that reports Journalism graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas | $66,087 | $21,500 | $18,209 | 71% |
| 2 | University of Central Arkansas | $43,189 | $26,500 | $16,511 | 54% |
| 3 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | $40,515 | $28,807 | $12,653 | 40% |
| 4 | Arkansas Tech Universitymostly 2-year | $39,173 | $23,250 | $12,970 | 49% |
6 more Arkansas colleges offer Journalism but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Journalism graduates
Reporter / journalist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -5.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Editors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Film and Video Editors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ATU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ATU
- Acceptance rate: 96% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $41,766
- Full cost breakdown · all 50 majors · overview
Related majors at ATU
- Communications$45,385
- Writing—
- English—
ATU Journalism questions
How much do ATU Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn a median $39,173 four years after graduating and $32,183 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do ATU Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Arkansas Tech University is $23,250, about 59% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is ATU a good school for Journalism in Arkansas?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn $39,173 four years out, $2,679 below the median for the same major across 4 Arkansas colleges ($41,852) and $15,252 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ATU rank for Journalism in Arkansas?
Of 4 Arkansas colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Arkansas Tech University ranks 4th. The highest is University of Arkansas at $66,087.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $37,450 in Arkansas and $62,200 nationally. Others include editors and film and video editors.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Arkansas Tech University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/arkansas-tech-university/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).