Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs at Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Master's Degree

$96,837
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$126,571
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$85,444
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#1 of 7
Rank by pay
#1 of 7
Rank, wage-adjusted
$68,589
Median federal debt

Northwestern University graduates in communication, journalism, and related programs earn 48% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 54% of one year’s pay at that point.

How Northwestern University Compares for Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

All 7 colleges reporting communication, journalism, and related programs 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.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1Northwestern University Evanston, IL$126,571$124,355#1$96,837
2New York University New York, NY$94,135$89,597#2$63,849
3Bowie State University Bowie, MD$83,948$73,674#4$52,873
4Gonzaga University Spokane, WA$73,912$67,983#5$58,879
5Fordham University Bronx, NY$66,412$63,210#7$50,367
6West Virginia University Morgantown, WV$66,125$78,230#3$53,070
7Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA$61,788$63,963#6—

Other Majors at Northwestern University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Business Administration, Management and Operations$244,399$224,402#4 of 861
Business/Commerce$240,637$188,890#2 of 75
Engineering$211,469$162,147#1 of 16
Computer Science$197,823—#7 of 48
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies$189,578$124,451#8 of 12
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$180,186$140,444#5 of 92
Community Organization and Advocacy$168,632$130,419#1 of 10
Information Science/Studies$141,026$131,093#10 of 71
Engineering-Related Fields$136,480$144,879#11 of 40
Medical Illustration and Informatics$132,068$112,816#3 of 27
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$130,944$107,097#79 of 216
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians$129,403$93,115—
Science Technologies/Technicians$125,048$83,471—
Communication and Media Studies$116,101$87,012#2 of 61
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$116,019$89,054#2 of 20
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences$110,591$99,283#5 of 19
Legal Professions and Studies$102,193$69,797#2 of 11
Public Administration$98,798$73,260#22 of 243
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$96,250$82,421#5 of 29
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$95,167$80,670#36 of 40
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions$85,999$47,186#11 of 211
Mechanical Engineering—$83,978—
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$83,218$67,518#4 of 204
Public Health$82,202$66,859#86 of 201
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$82,178$58,537#3 of 165
Educational Administration and Supervision$78,655$60,945#108 of 453
Biotechnology—$75,972—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services$71,781$62,757#67 of 243
Journalism$70,715$46,346#14 of 22
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management$69,411$47,523#7 of 21

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Northwestern University communication, journalism, and related programs graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $96,837 one year after graduating and $126,571 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does Northwestern University rank for communication, journalism, and related programs?

Among 7 colleges reporting earnings for communication, journalism, and related programs graduates, Northwestern University ranks #1 by median pay four years after graduation, and #1 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is communication, journalism, and related programs at Northwestern University worth it?

Its graduates earn 48% more than the national median for communication, journalism, and related programs ($85,444), and the median federal debt at graduation is $68,589.

← All data for Northwestern University · 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.