U.S. median for this major: $54,425.
College Scorecard field of study; 28 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 44% 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 $25,808. College Scorecard.
UNK 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 UNK'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 | $13,066 | $57,752 | 3.8 years |
| $30–48k | $13,350 | $59,007 | 3.9 years |
| $48–75k | $14,547 | $64,298 | 4.3 years |
| $75–110k | $16,703 | $73,827 | 4.9 years |
| $110k+ | $20,664 | $91,335 | 6.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (38% 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 ($51,659) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NE (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,110 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 Nebraska colleges
Every Nebraska 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 | Creighton University | $67,808 | $27,000 | $31,568 | 83% |
| 2 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $53,618 | $21,000 | $17,747 | 67% |
| 3 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | $51,659 | $22,602 | $16,242 | 58% |
3 more Nebraska 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 UNK, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UNK
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $50,105
- Full cost breakdown · all 39 majors · overview
Related majors at UNK
- Communications—
- Writing$61,941
- English$41,180
UNK Journalism questions
How much do UNK Journalism graduates earn?
Journalism graduates of University of Nebraska at Kearney earn a median $51,659 four years after graduating and $36,703 one year after. The U.S. median for Journalism graduates across 185 colleges is $54,425.
How much debt do UNK Journalism graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Journalism graduates of University of Nebraska at Kearney is $22,602, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,250.
Is UNK a good school for Journalism in Nebraska?
On pay, Journalism graduates of University of Nebraska at Kearney earn $51,659 four years out, $1,959 below the median for the same major across 3 Nebraska colleges ($53,618) and $2,766 below the U.S. median ($54,425). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UNK rank for Journalism in Nebraska?
Of 3 Nebraska colleges reporting Journalism graduate earnings, University of Nebraska at Kearney ranks 3rd. The highest is Creighton University at $67,808.
What jobs do Journalism graduates get?
A common career is reporter / journalist, with a median wage of $40,420 in Nebraska 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: “University of Nebraska at Kearney Journalism: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney/majors/journalism (College Scorecard and BLS data).