U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 57 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 46% 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 $30,305. College Scorecard.
Ohio State 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 Ohio State 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 | $4,885 | $20,566 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $5,751 | $24,212 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $9,807 | $41,287 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $20,461 | $86,141 | 5.4 years |
| $110k+ | $27,359 | $115,181 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% 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 ($51,280) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (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 Ohio colleges
Every Ohio college we cover that reports Journalism graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami University-Oxford | $60,974 | $27,000 | $28,384 | 80% |
| 2 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | $59,276 | $24,208 | $3,925 | 21% |
| 3 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | $59,276 | $24,208 | $5,755 | 14% |
| 4 | Ohio University-Southern Campusbachelor's & associate | $59,276 | $24,208 | $5,993 | 21% |
| 5 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campusbachelor's & associate | $59,276 | $24,208 | $5,650 | 14% |
| 6 | Ohio University | $59,276 | $24,208 | $21,637 | 65% |
| 7 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | $59,276 | $24,208 | $5,746 | 22% |
| 8 | Ohio State University | $51,280 | $23,346 | $17,339 | 88% |
| 9 | Kent State University at Kent | $49,842 | $25,000 | $20,787 | 64% |
| 10 | Bowling Green State University | $48,803 | $27,000 | $24,022 | 64% |
| 11 | University of Cincinnati | $48,331 | $26,250 | $25,648 | 75% |
| 12 | Central State University | $36,311 | $32,125 | $13,096 | 23% |
14 more Ohio 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 Ohio State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Ohio State University
- Acceptance rate: 61% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 88% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,409
- Full cost breakdown · all 129 majors · overview
Related majors at Ohio State University
- Communications$62,096
- English$48,301
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$54,860
Ohio State University Journalism questions
How much do Ohio State University Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of Ohio State University earn a median $51,280 four years after graduating and $31,955 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do Ohio State University Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of Ohio State University is $23,346, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is Ohio State University a good school for Journalism in Ohio?
On pay, Journalism graduates of Ohio State University earn $51,280 four years out, $7,996 below the median for the same major across 12 Ohio colleges ($59,276) and $3,145 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Ohio State University rank for Journalism in Ohio?
Of 12 Ohio colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, Ohio State University ranks 8th; among the 10 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 6th. The highest is Miami University-Oxford at $60,974.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $49,030 in the Columbus, OH 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: “Ohio State University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).