U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 127 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 42% 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 $31,642. College Scorecard.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins'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 | $13,259 | $57,677 | 4.5 years |
| $30–48k | $14,460 | $62,901 | 4.9 years |
| $48–75k | $15,905 | $69,187 | 5.4 years |
| $75–110k | $21,927 | $95,382 | 7.4 years |
| $110k+ | $29,763 | $129,469 | 10.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (47% 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 ($53,528) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,918 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 Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college we cover that reports Journalism graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Northern Colorado | $57,603 | $21,750 | $17,760 | 51% |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder | $57,079 | $15,750 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 3 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $53,528 | $22,500 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 4 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $47,460 | $24,500 | $15,327 | 32% |
1 more Colorado college offers Journalism but has 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 67% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,543
- Full cost breakdown · all 71 majors · overview
Related majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Communications$61,434
- English$46,154
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Journalism questions
How much do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn a median $53,528 four years after graduating and $36,352 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins is $22,500, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins a good school for Journalism in Colorado?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn $53,528 four years out, $1,776 below the median for the same major across 4 Colorado colleges ($55,304) and $897 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Colorado State University-Fort Collins rank for Journalism in Colorado?
Of 4 Colorado colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Northern Colorado at $57,603.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $60,770 in Colorado and $62,200 nationally. Others include editors and film and video editors.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins the right fit for your family?
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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: “Colorado State University-Fort Collins Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).