U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 28% 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 $27,780. College Scorecard.
Journalism at California colleges
Every California 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 Southern California | $79,776 | $16,250 | $32,740 | 92% |
| 2 | Chapman University | $79,135 | $22,500 | $46,555 | 82% |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $70,829 | $19,333 | $16,665 | 86% |
| 4 | California State University-Chico | $63,358 | $18,750 | $14,480 | 63% |
| 5 | Biola University | $59,925 | $27,000 | $31,495 | 68% |
| 6 | California Baptist University | $58,821 | $26,869 | $26,285 | 62% |
| 7 | Pepperdine University | $58,801 | — | $58,098 | 83% |
| 8 | University of California-Irvine | $57,492 | $16,900 | $14,251 | 87% |
| 9 | San Francisco State University | $57,260 | $16,875 | $12,278 | 50% |
| 10 | California State University-Long Beach | $55,192 | $15,000 | $10,440 | 69% |
| 11 | San Diego State University | $53,997 | $14,998 | $15,364 | 76% |
| 12 | California State University-Northridge | $53,351 | $15,480 | $7,021 | 57% |
| 13 | California State University-Sacramento | $53,145 | $20,000 | $9,338 | 56% |
| 14 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | $39,178 | $22,300 | $13,171 | 49% |
11 more California 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 San Diego State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About San Diego State University
- Acceptance rate: 36% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 76% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,909
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at San Diego State University
- Communications$61,389
- Writing—
- Public Relations and Advertising$67,414
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$43,485
- English$49,406
San Diego State University Journalism questions
How much do San Diego State University Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of San Diego State University earn a median $53,997 four years after graduating and $30,269 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do San Diego State University Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of San Diego State University is $14,998, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Where does San Diego State University rank for Journalism in California?
Of 14 California colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, San Diego State University ranks 11th. The highest is University of Southern California at $79,776.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $63,810 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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: “San Diego State University Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).