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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism in California

20 Ranked Colleges
994 Degrees Awarded
$20,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 12,336 people earned their degree in general journalism, making the major the 58th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 1,571 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 994 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general journalism programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general journalism program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Journalism Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism in California

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $21,595 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Journalism at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 113 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $5,464 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Journalism at Fresno State

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 101 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,622 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at CSULB

#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Chico. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. California State University - Chico is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students per year to attend California State University - Chico.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Chico State General Journalism Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 134 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $8,414 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at CSUN

#6

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#10 in overall quality

San Francisco State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students.

Read more about General Journalism at San Francisco State University

#7

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#7 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,928 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students per year to attend San Jose State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at San Jose State University

#8

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#6 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 133 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Journalism at SDSU

#15 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,979 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students per year to attend Sac State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Sac State

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 17 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUDH also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Dominguez Hills is $4,215 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at California State University - Dominguez Hills

#12

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California
#19 in overall quality

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #12. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 37 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Humboldt State University also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,692 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Read full report on General Journalism at Humboldt State University

#13

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California
#5 in overall quality

Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #13. Point Loma Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 7 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

PLNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Point Loma Nazarene University is $33,044 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at PLNU

#14

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Baptist, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $24,707 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students per year to attend Cal Baptist.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University General Journalism Report

#15

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Academy of Art University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 4 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Academy of Art University also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $34,145 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students.

Read full report on General Journalism at Academy of Art University

#16

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#12 in overall quality

Biola University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Biola did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Biola is $31,859 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Biola University

#17

University of La Verne

La Verne, California
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, University of La Verne did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. ULV is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Verne, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ULV did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of La Verne is $25,780 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full ULV General Journalism Report

#18

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Marymount, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $42,861 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students per year to attend Loyola Marymount University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Journalism at Loyola Marymount University

#19

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California
#4 in overall quality

Pepperdine University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Pepperdine University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Malibu, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Pepperdine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $36,996 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students per year to attend Pepperdine University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Pepperdine

#20

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

University of Southern California ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 77 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $29,528 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students per year to attend USC.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on General Journalism at University of Southern California

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jfurrer.

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