# Oakland University: Journalism (bachelor's)

Rochester Hills, MI. IPEDS 171571, CIP 09.04. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/oakland-university/majors/journalism

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $35,545
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $46,680 (U.S. median for this major: $54,425 across 185 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,000 (U.S. median $24,250)
- Rank in MI: 4 of 5 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (5 colleges, $47,775): -$1,095
- Versus the U.S. median: -$7,745

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.52 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $46,680 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $4,422 | $19,987 | 1.5 years |
| 30-48k | $4,560 | $20,611 | 1.6 years |
| 48-75k | $6,711 | $30,334 | 2.3 years |
| 75-110k | $11,874 | $53,670 | 4.0 years |
| 110k+ | $19,217 | $86,861 | 6.5 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Journalism at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | $59,498 | $24,985 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Wayne State University | $54,188 | $29,000 | $12,766 | 58% |
| Central Michigan University | $47,775 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Oakland University | $46,680 | $26,000 | $9,120 | 58% |
| Eastern Michigan University | $45,245 | $30,735 | $15,407 | 46% |

## Careers
- Reporter / journalist (SOC 27-3023): median wage $77,180 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, $62,760 MI, $62,200 U.S.; U.S. jobs -5.9% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage $65,740 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, $63,090 MI, $77,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035
- Film and Video Editors (SOC 27-4032): median wage $63,790 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, $59,100 MI, $75,420 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.7% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).