Journalism

Bachelor's degree · University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

CIP 09.04

$44,651Median earnings 1 year after graduating
$79,776Median earnings 4 years after
$73,113Median earnings 5 years after
$15,000Median federal debt
97Graduates per year

How this program compares

Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in Journalism at University of Southern California earn a median of $44,651 one year after completing the program. Nationally, bachelor's degree graduates in this field earn a median of $56,278 four years after graduating (middle half: $40,588–$73,923). Median debt is $15,000, about 34% of first-year earnings – a manageable level by common guidelines.

Journalism (Bachelor's degree) at other California schools

CollegeEarnings (1 yr)Median debt
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo
$48,637$19,500
Pepperdine University
Malibu
$42,536—
Biola University
La Mirada
$41,997$27,000
Chapman University
Orange
$41,645$22,290
California State University-Chico
Chico
$35,668$18,618
San Francisco State University
San Francisco
$31,788$15,000
University of California-Irvine
Irvine
$31,102$17,200
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento
$30,644$20,000
California State University-Northridge
Northridge
$30,564$14,311
San Diego State University
San Diego
$30,269$14,998
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata
$29,686$20,000
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach
$28,844$15,000
California Baptist University
Riverside
$26,026$26,000

Highest-paying Journalism programs nationwide →

Other programs at University of Southern California

Frequently asked questions

How much do Journalism graduates from University of Southern California make?

The median salary is $44,651 one year after graduation and $73,113 after five years.

How much student debt do graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed federal loans owe a median of $15,000.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release (Field of Study data). Earnings are for graduates who received federal financial aid.