Aspiring journalists have numerous reasons for wanting to join the ranks of the profession and its related fields.

Journalists hold those in power accountable and can influence public policy. The profession speaks to people with a love for storytelling. There are many types of journalism to suit your personal interests and ambitions. And the skills of a journalist translate well in several career fields, making a journalism degree a valuable option.  

But you know what else drives people? Getting paid — the more, the better. So, while you’re considering the field of journalism, you’re also probably wondering how you can join the ranks of the highest-paid journalists. Let’s dive into the ins and outs of a journalism degree salary.

Is journalism a high-paying major?

Let’s be clear about what’s being asked. Is journalism the highest-paying major? Generally speaking, no — there are other fields with greater average/median salaries. But let’s circle back to the original question: Is this a high-paying degree field? That depends on how you define “high pay,” the type of journalism you’d like to practice, and the region where you want to work. 

Let’s crunch some numbers … 

Below you’ll find salary ranges, categorized by the type of jobs you can get with a journalism degree. The average annual salary is there, but we also want to show what an income looks like at various percentiles (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th). The lower points give you an idea of where entry-level jobs might land, or what you might be paid in certain geographic regions that aren’t major media markets. (It’s not impossible to make six figures right out of college, but it’s hardly common.)

^{(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023)}

The average journalist salary figure does differ by region — the top-paid journalists tend to find themselves working on the coasts, home to numerous major media markets. Those markets have greater demand for certain types of journalists — salary data show that, on average, major broadcast media markets pay more-competitive rates for producers, directors, and announcers. As a result, those positions in those regions often rank among the highest-paid journalism jobs.   

Below you’ll find a sampling of average salaries for popular jobs for journalism and mass communication grads, pulled from states located in various regions of the United States.

 ^{(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023)}

(If you are interested in numbers from other states, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website and select the state you’re interested in. There’s a lot of data on each state’s page; searching the page for a specific job title is a quick way to find what you want.) 

Yes, certain regions have higher salaries. But it would be wise to plug numbers into a cost-of-living calculator to see how far a dollar in one region might stretch (or shrink) in a different ZIP code. There are many calculator options on the web; this one from SmartAsset has a broad selection of U.S. cities available for comparison. 

How can I make the most money with a journalism degree?

Sometimes the best-paid journalists can be found working in careers outside of the traditional journalism spectrum — especially ones who have ascended to a position with management responsibilities. The national average for managerial positions in fields such as fundraising, public relations, advertising, and digital communication ranges from $133,620 (fundraising) to $159,420 (digital communication). 

But to qualify for the top-paying journalist jobs, one needs experience. And while entry-level job salaries might not blow you away, those positions can lead to advancement — often in short order.

This brings us to another key figure: journalism schools’ placement rates. This figure represents the number of graduating students who either land a job in their chosen field or continue their education. Pay attention to this figure when looking for the best journalism school for you — if you choose a program with a proven track record in placing its graduates in the workforce, it’s quite likely you’ll follow in the footsteps of those successful graduates. (The University of Iowa has a 92% placement rate for its students six months after graduation, if you were curious.)

Can you make a living off journalism?

If you’ve made it this far down the page, we hope you’ve already answered this question, since we presented a fair amount of salary data above. (Scroll back up and look at the charts if you missed them.) But yes, a journalism degree will equip you with the skills and qualifications to make it in the professional world, be it in journalism or any number of related fields. In fact, one might argue the skills developed through a journalism degree program will prepare you for professions other than journalism — critical thinking and the ability to communicate are vital in so many industries!

University of Iowa journalism and mass communication grads hold these professional titles (and dozens more we’ll skip in the interest in brevity):

• Reporter, producer, news anchor, editor-in-chief
• Graphic designer, coordinator of public relations, event marketing manager, deputy director of multimedia
• Business performance advisor, chief digital officer, compliance auditor, director of alumni relations
• President/CEO, director of global public relations, state senator

One key to success in the fields of journalism and mass communication: When new opportunities present themselves, show that you are willing to adapt and rise to meet these moments. Trends in media are ever-changing; being confident and flexible can take you a long way.

“The opportunities to tell stories are vast. They look different than they did 10 years ago, 20 years ago; they certainly look different than they did 30, 40, or 50 years ago,” Tully says. “Going forward, they’re going to change. It’s important, when thinking about going into a broad field like journalism or media, that you’re willing to have a sense of adventure and willingness to experiment with the kinds of opportunities that are going to become available.”