Journalism at Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Bachelor's Degree · about 27 graduates a year
Columbia College Chicago graduates in journalism earn 8% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 47% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Columbia College Chicago Compares for Journalism
All 187 colleges reporting journalism earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | $81,935 | $83,329 | #1 | $45,256 |
| 2 | George Washington University Washington, DC | $81,927 | $71,789 | #10 | $52,015 |
| 3 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $80,258 | $78,853 | #3 | $50,426 |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | $79,776 | $72,591 | #8 | $44,651 |
| 5 | Chapman University Orange, CA | $79,135 | $72,008 | #9 | $41,645 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI | $75,967 | $79,047 | #2 | $40,942 |
| 7 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | $74,709 | $65,789 | #20 | $51,855 |
| 8 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $72,475 | $68,981 | #13 | $42,769 |
| 9 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | $71,466 | $76,066 | #5 | $41,378 |
| 10 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $70,829 | $64,450 | #25 | $48,637 |
| … | |||||
| 123 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA | $52,011 | $45,801 | #175 | $37,091 |
| 124 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | $51,940 | $47,296 | #167 | $39,592 |
| 125 | University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE | $51,659 | $53,392 | #112 | $36,703 |
| 126 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | $51,639 | $50,735 | #137 | $31,369 |
| 127 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH | $51,280 | $54,723 | #92 | $31,955 |
| 128 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK | $51,042 | $57,308 | #70 | $28,139 |
| 129 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI | $50,970 | $53,037 | #118 | $36,139 |
Other Majors at Columbia College Chicago by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $66,798 | $39,794 | #61 of 178 |
| Marketing | $65,686 | $36,386 | #280 of 516 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $56,482 | $34,798 | #920 of 1176 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $54,357 | $24,191 | #53 of 158 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $50,592 | $23,844 | #17 of 43 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $49,593 | $25,999 | #158 of 207 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,601 | $29,630 | #191 of 299 |
| American Sign Language | $45,619 | $33,775 | #10 of 20 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $44,703 | — | #90 of 103 |
| Graphic Communications | $43,970 | $26,309 | #29 of 59 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | $43,731 | $20,927 | #16 of 19 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $42,176 | $22,765 | #194 of 423 |
| Dance | $41,842 | — | #26 of 58 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $41,200 | $23,905 | #102 of 144 |
| Music | $40,734 | $19,943 | #174 of 268 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $39,986 | $17,929 | #130 of 255 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $39,751 | $25,060 | #116 of 137 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Columbia College Chicago journalism graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $31,369 one year after graduating and $51,639 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Columbia College Chicago rank for journalism?
Among 187 colleges reporting earnings for journalism graduates, Columbia College Chicago ranks #126 by median pay four years after graduation, and #137 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is journalism at Columbia College Chicago worth it?
Its graduates earn 8% less than the national median for journalism ($56,278), and the median federal debt at graduation is $24,525.
← All data for Columbia College Chicago · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.