ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Journalism worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 3 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$68,157 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
29.5 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−66%Estimated return after 10 years
$48,497Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$55,030
$7,000Current college-wide context−$69,030
$8,000Annual price−$71,030
$16,000Annual price−$87,030
$24,000Annual price−$103,030
$32,000Annual price−$119,030
$40,000Annual price−$135,030
Outcomes at a glance
$48,497Typical earnings four years after completion
$34,651Average earnings five years after completion
$8,250Typical federal student debt
50thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Journalism
How much do Journalism associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $48,497 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $8,250. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Journalism?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $45,638 to $45,638 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Journalism?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 8 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,138
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,497
- Federal debt
- $8,250
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,396
- Federal debt
- $24,250
- Programs in the comparison
- 196
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,760
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 22
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,479
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,146
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
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$45,638National median$48,49775th percentile$45,638
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Austin Community College District
$51,356 four years after completionAustin, TX · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtOnondaga Community College
$10,125 among completer borrowersSyracuse, NY · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classOklahoma City Community College
15 reported awards in 2024–25Oklahoma City, OK · inspect the full program →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
3 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 3 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Austin Community College District$51,3562Onondaga Community College$45,6383Oklahoma City Community CollegeNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-10%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 median wage39,250 jobs nationwide-5.9% projected growth through 2035 · 3,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$36,240–$144,140 typical wage rangeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$78,580 median wage29,420 jobs nationwide+2.1% projected growth through 2035 · 2,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$47,590–$143,720 typical wage rangeEditors$77,920 median wage91,690 jobs nationwide-1.1% projected growth through 2035 · 7,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,250–$153,700 typical wage rangeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wage47,940 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 11,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,310–$139,870 typical wage rangeFilm and Video Editors$75,420 median wage25,610 jobs nationwide+3.7% projected growth through 2035 · 3,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$40,280–$148,550 typical wage rangeProofreaders and Copy Markers$51,120 median wage4,580 jobs nationwide-0.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$34,510–$79,290 typical wage rangeBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 median wage21,240 jobs nationwide-7.6% projected growth through 2035 · 2,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$28,190–$138,440 typical wage rangePhotographers$44,660 median wage51,760 jobs nationwide-0.7% projected growth through 2035 · 10,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$30,820–$91,810 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.