U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 28 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 25% 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 $14,121. College Scorecard.
CUNY Lehman College 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 CUNY Lehman College'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 | $1,589 | $7,230 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $2,374 | $10,802 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $6,834 | $31,095 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $9,696 | $44,117 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $13,600 | $61,880 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 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 ($49,025) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,392 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 New York colleges
Every New York 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 | Fordham University | $72,475 | $26,324 | $44,338 | 82% |
| 2 | Syracuse University | $70,404 | $27,000 | $38,793 | 84% |
| 3 | Stony Brook University | $65,535 | $27,000 | $18,784 | 76% |
| 4 | Long Island University | $62,355 | — | $33,062 | 57% |
| 5 | Hofstra University | $61,609 | $25,000 | $34,176 | 69% |
| 6 | Ithaca College | $61,317 | $25,000 | $33,926 | 76% |
| 7 | CUNY Brooklyn College | $60,272 | $10,290 | $3,103 | 54% |
| 8 | University at Albany | $59,495 | $25,000 | $17,167 | 61% |
| 9 | St. John's University-New York | $59,067 | $26,000 | $29,999 | 66% |
| 10 | St Bonaventure University | $58,816 | $27,000 | $27,074 | 67% |
| 11 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $54,425 | $13,717 | $3,033 | 72% |
| 12 | CUNY York College | $53,901 | — | $4,456 | 32% |
| 13 | SUNY at Purchase College | $52,859 | $23,947 | $18,913 | 63% |
| 14 | State University of New York at Oswego | $50,813 | $27,000 | $16,236 | 60% |
| 15 | SUNY Brockport | $50,073 | $24,627 | $16,353 | 55% |
| 16 | CUNY Lehman College | $49,025 | $12,375 | $3,148 | 51% |
| 17 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | $40,034 | $23,125 | $17,156 | 59% |
13 more New York 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 CUNY Lehman College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CUNY Lehman College
- Acceptance rate: 57% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $58,013
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at CUNY Lehman College
- Communications$50,265
- English$54,674
CUNY Lehman College Journalism questions
How much do CUNY Lehman College Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of CUNY Lehman College earn a median $49,025 four years after graduating and $26,319 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do CUNY Lehman College Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of CUNY Lehman College is $12,375, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is CUNY Lehman College a good school for Journalism in New York?
On pay, Journalism graduates of CUNY Lehman College earn $49,025 four years out, $10,042 below the median for the same major across 17 New York colleges ($59,067) and $5,400 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CUNY Lehman College rank for Journalism in New York?
Of 17 New York colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, CUNY Lehman College ranks 16th. The highest is Fordham University at $72,475.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $101,670 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area 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: “CUNY Lehman College Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).