U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 82 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 58% 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 $19,725. College Scorecard.
NKU 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 NKU'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 | $2,603 | $11,375 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $3,630 | $15,863 | 1.4 years |
| $48–75k | $6,761 | $29,546 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $12,679 | $55,407 | 4.9 years |
| $110k+ | $14,522 | $63,461 | 5.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($44,834) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,318 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 Kentucky colleges
Every Kentucky 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 Kentucky | $52,785 | $26,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| 2 | Western Kentucky University | $47,661 | $25,500 | $10,990 | 56% |
| 3 | Northern Kentucky University | $44,834 | $26,122 | $8,191 | 52% |
| 4 | Kentucky State University | $42,363 | — | $8,040 | 32% |
5 more Kentucky 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 NKU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NKU
- Acceptance rate: 68% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $50,220
- Full cost breakdown · all 63 majors · overview
Related majors at NKU
- Communications$53,082
- Public Relations and Advertising$49,989
- English$44,385
NKU Journalism questions
How much do NKU Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median $44,834 four years after graduating and $29,647 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do NKU Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Northern Kentucky University is $26,122, about 58% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is NKU a good school for Journalism in Kentucky?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn $44,834 four years out, $1,414 below the median for the same major across 4 Kentucky colleges ($46,248) and $9,591 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NKU rank for Journalism in Kentucky?
Of 4 Kentucky colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Northern Kentucky University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Kentucky at $52,785.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $53,780 in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area and $62,200 nationally. Others include editors and film and video editors.
Is NKU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing NKU 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: “Northern Kentucky University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).