U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 75 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 47% 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 $23,316. College Scorecard.
Indiana University-Indianapolis 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 Indiana University-Indianapolis'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 | $5,701 | $24,742 | 2.0 years |
| $30–48k | $5,995 | $26,018 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $11,038 | $47,905 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $18,056 | $78,363 | 6.2 years |
| $110k+ | $20,680 | $89,751 | 7.1 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 ($48,113) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,579 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana 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 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $59,151 | $19,500 | $16,264 | 80% |
| 2 | Ball State University | $49,456 | $25,675 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 3 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | $48,113 | $22,837 | $11,668 | 54% |
11 more Indiana 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 Indiana University-Indianapolis, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Indiana University-Indianapolis
- Acceptance rate: 76% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 54% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $55,198
- Full cost breakdown · all 78 majors · overview
Related majors at Indiana University-Indianapolis
- Communications$51,397
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$46,473
- English$38,198
Indiana University-Indianapolis Journalism questions
How much do Indiana University-Indianapolis Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Indiana University-Indianapolis earn a median $48,113 four years after graduating and $38,540 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do Indiana University-Indianapolis Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Indiana University-Indianapolis is $22,837, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is Indiana University-Indianapolis a good school for Journalism in Indiana?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Indiana University-Indianapolis earn $48,113 four years out, $1,343 below the median for the same major across 3 Indiana colleges ($49,456) and $6,312 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Indiana University-Indianapolis rank for Journalism in Indiana?
Of 3 Indiana colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Indiana University-Indianapolis ranks 3rd. The highest is Indiana University-Bloomington at $59,151.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $60,620 in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 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: “Indiana University-Indianapolis Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-indianapolis/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).