U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 38 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 51% 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 $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois University 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 Northern Illinois University'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 | $10,126 | $44,453 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 5.2 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 6.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($50,658) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,861 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 Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
- Communications$55,109
- English$47,981
Northern Illinois University Journalism questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $50,658 four years after graduating and $31,753 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Northern Illinois University is $25,750, about 51% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Journalism in Illinois?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $50,658 four years out, $4,983 below the median for the same major across 9 Illinois colleges ($55,641) and $3,767 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Journalism in Illinois?
Of 9 Illinois colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 8th. 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.
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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: “Northern Illinois University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).