U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 87 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 50% 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 $51,889. College Scorecard.
Columbia College Chicago 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 Columbia College Chicago'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 | $20,924 | $90,810 | 5.7 years |
| $30–48k | $21,423 | $92,976 | 5.9 years |
| $48–75k | $25,590 | $111,061 | 7.0 years |
| $75–110k | $31,677 | $137,478 | 8.7 years |
| $110k+ | $36,436 | $158,132 | 10.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (39% 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 ($51,639) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,842 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Northwestern University | $80,258 | $15,333 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $67,539 | $22,300 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 3 | DePaul University | $61,708 | $24,334 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago | $57,407 | $23,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 5 | Illinois State University | $55,641 | $23,500 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois University | $54,038 | — | $12,786 | 47% |
| 7 | Columbia College Chicago | $51,639 | $26,000 | $26,598 | 52% |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University | $50,658 | $25,750 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $49,880 | $25,500 | $13,297 | 62% |
11 more Illinois 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 Columbia College Chicago, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Columbia College Chicago
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $42,195
- Full cost breakdown · all 26 majors · overview
Related majors at Columbia College Chicago
- Communications—
- Writing$39,751
- Public Relations and Advertising$66,798
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$54,357
- English—
- Graphic Communications$43,970
Columbia College Chicago Journalism questions
How much do Columbia College Chicago Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median $51,639 four years after graduating and $31,369 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do Columbia College Chicago Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Columbia College Chicago is $26,000, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is Columbia College Chicago a good school for Journalism in Illinois?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn $51,639 four years out, $4,002 below the median for the same major across 9 Illinois colleges ($55,641) and $2,786 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Columbia College Chicago rank for Journalism in Illinois?
Of 9 Illinois colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Columbia College Chicago ranks 7th. The highest is Northwestern University at $80,258.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $70,350 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $62,200 nationally. Others include editors and film and video editors.
Is Columbia College Chicago the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Columbia College Chicago with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Columbia College Chicago Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-college-chicago/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).