# Western Kentucky University: Journalism (bachelor's)

Bowling Green, KY. IPEDS 157951, CIP 09.04. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/journalism

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $35,050
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $47,661 (U.S. median for this major: $54,425 across 185 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,500 (U.S. median $24,250)
- Rank in KY: 2 of 4 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (4 colleges, $46,248): +$1,413
- Versus the U.S. median: -$6,764

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $47,661 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,087 | $30,332 | 2.1 years |
| 30-48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | 2.1 years |
| 48-75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | 3.0 years |
| 75-110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | 4.3 years |
| 110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | 5.3 years |

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

## Journalism at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | $52,785 | $26,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| Western Kentucky University | $47,661 | $25,500 | $10,990 | 56% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $44,834 | $26,122 | $8,191 | 52% |
| Kentucky State University | $42,363 | not reported | $8,040 | 32% |

## Careers
- Reporter / journalist (SOC 27-3023): median wage not reported Bowling Green, KY, $47,530 KY, $62,200 U.S.; U.S. jobs -5.9% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage not reported Bowling Green, KY, $59,430 KY, $77,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035
- Film and Video Editors (SOC 27-4032): median wage not reported Bowling Green, KY, $62,330 KY, $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).