How much do Journalism bachelor's degree graduates from California State University, Long Beach earn?

The reported median is $55,192 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $15,000.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 2% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Journalism bachelor's degree at California State University, Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$1,086 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 27.2% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −54% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

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−$78,080

$8,000Annual price−$110,080

$10,000Current college-wide context−$118,080

$16,000Annual price−$142,080

$24,000Annual price−$174,080

$32,000Annual price−$206,080

$40,000Annual price−$238,080

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+88%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$28,844 → $54,294

103Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

131Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

149Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

112Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

292Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

67Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

187Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

101Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

5.9%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

150Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$55,192$19,110 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$10,440

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$15,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$55,192

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$159/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$10,440Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$22,679Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE46.3%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE68.9%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$28,844Year 1

$55,192Year 4

$54,294Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.5% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,599

Estimated loan payment$159

112borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$55,192 vs. $56,278

$1,086 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 median wageU.S. estimate · 4,140 jobs · 27-3023-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommunications Teachers, Postsecondary$135,000 median wageCA estimate · 3,140 jobs · 25-1122$102,290–$186,490 middle 50% of CA wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEditors$98,030 median wageCA estimate · 14,830 jobs · 27-3041$71,090–$136,820 middle 50% of CA wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$86,480 median wageCA estimate · 8,390 jobs · 27-3043$75,530–$127,870 middle 50% of CA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFilm and Video Editors$88,490 median wageCA estimate · 8,110 jobs · 27-4032$60,810–$128,630 middle 50% of CA wages+3.7% projected U.S. growth · 3,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeProofreaders and Copy Markers$57,490 median wageCA estimate · 300 jobs · 43-9081$45,400–$73,880 middle 50% of CA wages-0.9% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePhotographers$47,840 median wageCA estimate · 7,980 jobs · 27-4021$38,410–$72,100 middle 50% of CA wages-0.7% projected U.S. growth · 10,700 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentBroadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 median wageU.S. estimate · 1,620 jobs · 27-3011-7.6% projected U.S. growth · 2,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

$24,584 higher earnings

Earnings: $79,776
Debt: $16,250
Annual net price: $32,740

View outcomes →

Orange, CA

Chapman University

$23,943 higher earnings

Earnings: $79,135
Debt: $22,500
Annual net price: $46,555

View outcomes →

San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

$15,637 higher earnings

Earnings: $70,829
Debt: $19,333
Annual net price: $16,665

View outcomes →

Chico, CA

California State University, Chico

$8,166 higher earnings

Earnings: $63,358
Debt: $18,750
Annual net price: $14,480

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

149 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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