Journalism: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 22 reporting college programs.
$72,760 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,138
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,497
- Federal debt
- $8,250
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,396
- Federal debt
- $24,250
- Reporting programs
- 196
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,760
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 22
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,479
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,146
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Georgetown University$90,3562George Washington University$89,0723University of Iowa$84,1654Kent State University at Kent$83,4645Boston University$82,5496St Bonaventure University$82,1917Columbia University in the City of New York$78,8808University of Missouri-Columbia$77,0579University of Southern California$76,63010Hofstra University$74,266Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
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 | Georgetown UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $90,356 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,815 |
| 2 | George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $89,072 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,586 |
| 3 | University of IowaMaster's Degree | Iowa City, IA | $84,165 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,531 |
| 4 | Kent State University at KentMaster's Degree | Kent, OH | $83,464 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,787 |
| 5 | Boston UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $82,549 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,402 |
| 6 | St Bonaventure UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Bonaventure, NY | $82,191 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,074 |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $78,880 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 8 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaMaster's Degree | Columbia, MO | $77,057 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,268 |
| 9 | University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $76,630 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,740 |
| 10 | Hofstra UniversityMaster's Degree | Hempstead, NY | $74,266 | Not available | Baseline needed | $34,176 |
| 11 | University of Nebraska-LincolnMaster's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $73,130 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,747 |
| 12 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $72,390 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 13 | University of GeorgiaMaster's Degree | Athens, GA | $70,926 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,936 |
| 14 | Northwestern UniversityMaster's Degree | Evanston, IL | $70,715 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,167 |
| 15 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $69,612 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 16 | American UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $67,819 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,943 |
| 17 | Syracuse UniversityMaster's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $62,512 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,793 |
| 18 | Full Sail UniversityMaster's Degree | Winter Park, FL | $53,227 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,875 |
| 19 | DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $51,338 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,902 |
| 20 | Regent UniversityMaster's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $49,772 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,923 |
| 21 | University of Illinois SpringfieldMaster's Degree | Springfield, IL | $49,368 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,833 |
| 22 | Emerson CollegeMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $48,294 | Not available | Baseline needed | $49,180 |
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.