Journalism at Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Bachelor's Degree

$50,426
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$80,258
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$56,278
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#3 of 187
Rank by pay
#3 of 187
Rank, wage-adjusted
$14,834
Median federal debt

Northwestern University graduates in journalism earn 43% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 18% of one year’s pay at that point.

How Northwestern University 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.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA$81,935$83,329#1$45,256
2George Washington University Washington, DC$81,927$71,789#10$52,015
3Northwestern University Evanston, IL$80,258$78,853#3$50,426
4University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA$79,776$72,591#8$44,651
5Chapman University Orange, CA$79,135$72,008#9$41,645
6University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI$75,967$79,047#2$40,942
7Northeastern University Boston, MA$74,709$65,789#20$51,855
8Fordham University Bronx, NY$72,475$68,981#13$42,769
9University of Miami Coral Gables, FL$71,466$76,066#5$41,378
10California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA$70,829$64,450#25$48,637

Other Journalism Credentials at Northwestern University

Credential1 yr after4 yrs afterMedian debt
Master's Degree$46,346$70,715$64,766

Other Majors at Northwestern University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Information Science/Studies$163,740$102,998#1 of 148
Computer Science$155,106$99,981#28 of 349
Applied Mathematics$148,740$94,684#4 of 45
Industrial Engineering$138,720$89,811#1 of 94
Economics$126,006$84,932#21 of 368
Statistics$122,682$77,917#7 of 50
Chemical Engineering$111,040$80,709#12 of 158
Human Resources Management and Services$108,498$82,255#2 of 187
Mathematics$107,072$79,530#19 of 309
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$102,994$68,592#19 of 118
Mechanical Engineering$98,277$75,253#49 of 318
Manufacturing Engineering$97,819—#1 of 15
Communication and Media Studies$93,541$52,210#2 of 660
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$93,180—#7 of 476
Community Organization and Advocacy$84,712$61,009#1 of 24
History$78,966$50,161#13 of 459
Public Policy Analysis$78,752$48,558#9 of 34
Sociology$75,267$38,402#8 of 462
International Relations and National Security Studies$74,477$58,326#30 of 118
Psychology$73,646$44,088#14 of 1027
Political Science and Government$73,231$54,737#89 of 565
Biology$71,181—#82 of 841
Psychology$62,905$36,890#3 of 9
English Language and Literature$62,147$31,748#39 of 576
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$59,372$39,012#15 of 103
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$54,279$35,334#56 of 67
Music$53,875$34,823#37 of 268
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$51,471$24,611#65 of 158
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$49,316$19,245#17 of 255
Public Health—$39,956—

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Northwestern University journalism graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $50,426 one year after graduating and $80,258 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does Northwestern University rank for journalism?

Among 187 colleges reporting earnings for journalism graduates, Northwestern University ranks #3 by median pay four years after graduation, and #3 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is journalism at Northwestern University worth it?

Its graduates earn 43% more than the national median for journalism ($56,278), and the median federal debt at graduation is $14,834.

← 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.