# Pennsylvania State University: Journalism (bachelor's)

University Park, PA. IPEDS 214777, CIP 09.04. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/journalism

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $36,468
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $62,336 (U.S. median for this major: $54,425 across 185 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $24,250)
- Rank in PA: 2 of 10 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the PA median for this major (11 colleges, $53,518): +$8,818
- Versus the U.S. median: +$7,911

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.2 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $62,336 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $19,845 | $83,349 | 3.1 years |
| 30-48k | $20,049 | $84,206 | 3.2 years |
| 48-75k | $25,667 | $107,801 | 4.1 years |
| 75-110k | $31,834 | $133,703 | 5.0 years |
| 110k+ | $37,831 | $158,890 | 6.0 years |

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

## Journalism at PA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh University | $81,935 | $19,500 | $36,931 | 88% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $62,336 | $25,000 | $32,875 | 86% |
| Duquesne University | $54,081 | not reported | $37,730 | 78% |
| Widener University | $53,724 | not reported | $25,759 | 68% |
| Temple University | $53,518 | $26,000 | $28,198 | 75% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $49,625 | $26,000 | $16,804 | 56% |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $47,760 | $26,000 | $23,726 | 56% |
| University of Scranton | $47,302 | $27,000 | $32,568 | 80% |
| Point Park University | $45,859 | $27,000 | $25,942 | 59% |
| Pennsylvania Western University | $45,264 | not reported | $18,256 | 52% |

## Careers
- Reporter / journalist (SOC 27-3023): median wage not reported State College, PA, not reported PA, $62,200 U.S.; U.S. jobs -5.9% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage not reported State College, PA, $63,460 PA, $77,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035
- Film and Video Editors (SOC 27-4032): median wage not reported State College, PA, not reported PA, $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).