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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 0904

Journalism: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$63,138 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$63,138Median year-4 earnings

$26,213Average institution net-price context

$20,500Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$63,138Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$20,500Median federal debt

75thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $63,138
Federal debt: $20,500
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $48,497
Federal debt: $8,250
Reporting programs: 3

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $54,396
Federal debt: $24,250
Reporting programs: 196

189 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $72,760
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 22

22 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $63,479
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $58,146
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$63,138National median$63,13875th percentile$63,138

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$63,138 2Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$63,138

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsSOC 27-3023 · 7 crosswalk linksCommunications Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1122 · 6 crosswalk linksEditorsSOC 27-3041 · 2 crosswalk linksWriters and AuthorsSOC 27-3043 · 2 crosswalk linksBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc JockeysSOC 27-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksFilm and Video EditorsSOC 27-4032 · 1 crosswalk linksPhotographersSOC 27-4021 · 1 crosswalk linksProofreaders and Copy MarkersSOC 43-9081 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR JOURNALISM

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	University Park, PA	$63,138	$20,500	Baseline needed	$32,875
2	Pennsylvania State University-World CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	University Park, PA	$63,138	$20,500	Baseline needed	$19,550

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.