U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 44 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 30% 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 $22,690. College Scorecard.
BYU Journalism: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Utah colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 BYU'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 | $10,444 | $52,220 | 4.4 years |
| $30–48k | $10,112 | $50,560 | 4.3 years |
| $48–75k | $13,062 | $65,310 | 5.6 years |
| $75–110k | $16,378 | $81,890 | 7.0 years |
| $110k+ | $20,542 | $102,710 | 8.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 5.0 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($50,338) minus $38,580 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in UT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,758 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 Utah colleges
Every Utah 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 | Utah State Universitybachelor's & associate | $61,724 | $16,710 | $14,936 | 59% |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | $50,338 | $14,953 | $15,564 | 81% |
2 more Utah 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 BYU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BYU
- Acceptance rate: 68% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $75,790
- Full cost breakdown · all 97 majors · overview
Related majors at BYU
- Communications$68,843
- Public Relations and Advertising$80,841
- English$54,290
- Graphic Communications$73,941
- Publishing—
BYU Journalism questions
How much do BYU Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Brigham Young University earn a median $50,338 four years after graduating and $46,652 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do BYU Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Brigham Young University is $14,953, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Where does BYU rank for Journalism in Utah?
Of 2 Utah colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Brigham Young University ranks 2nd; among the 1 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 1st. The highest is Utah State University at $61,724.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $61,880 in Utah 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: “Brigham Young University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/brigham-young-university/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).