Journalism Major

Journalism is a major that typically falls into the Communication & Journalism category.

There are 126 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in journalism, 469 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 86 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 6 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Journalism Degree?

Journalism runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #36 out of all the majors we track. In 2017, about 13,900 graduates completed their bachelor’s degree in this major. The major attracts more women than men. About 67.5% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of journalism majors is as follows:

• Asian: 3.3%
• Black or African American: 12.2%
• Hispanic or Latino: 13.1%
• White: 61.6%
• Non-Resident Alien: 3.3%
• Other Races: 6.6%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in journalism. About 3.3% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending journalism majors to the U.S. are China, South Korea and India.

What Will You Learn as a Journalism Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to journalism to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Journalism Majors

Journalism majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

Skills for Journalism Majors

A major in journalism prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

Abilities for Journalism Majors

As a journalism major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

What Can You Do With a Journalism Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with journalism:

Careers Related to Journalism

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Editors	-1.4%	$59,480
Broadcast News Analysts	-1.8%	$66,880
Copy Writers	7.6%	$62,170
Reporters and Correspondents	-10.1%	$41,260
Photographers	-5.6%	$34,000
Film and Video Editors	17%	$62,650
Radio and Television Announcers	-11.6%	$33,220
Communications Professors	10%	$68,910

Journalism Major Salary

Journalism majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $52,000 to $78,000. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

Your salary will be largely dependent on the career path you follow and what area of the country (or world) you work. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Journalism Major Jobs

Some careers associated with journalism may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for journalism careers below.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Journalism

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	3.5%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	8.9%
Post-Secondary Certificate	2.2%
Some College Courses	11%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	6.3%
Bachelor's Degree	52.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	0.2%
Master's Degree	11.8%
Post-Master's Certificate	0.2%
First Professional Degree	0.5%
Doctoral Degree	1.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	1.2%

Online Journalism Programs

There are 469 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in journalism, with 11 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Getting your degree online is not easy and includes watching and listening to hours of lectures, participating in group charts, submitting papers by the appropriate deadline and taking tests. Some online programs will also feature internships or in-person clinical hours.

Is a Journalism Major Worth It?

The median salary for a journalism grad is $69,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 79% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $611,600 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• Communication & Media Studies
• Journalism
• Radio, TV & Digital Communication
• Public Relations & Advertising
• Publishing
• Other Communication & Journalism

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
Image Credit: Jfurrer via License