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2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

23 Ranked Colleges
1,071 Degrees Awarded
$16,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Journalism is the 62nd most popular major in the country with 14,528 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,042 and had an average of $24,628 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,662 journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,881 and $22,408 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,071 journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in journalism. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great journalism programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the journalism program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Journalism (Income $0-$30k) in California

#13 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 #1 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 113 students in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $3,264 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Journalism at California State University - Fresno

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Irvine. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $9,558 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Irvine Journalism Report

#3

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Diego State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 133 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Diego State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at San Diego State University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 101 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $6,364 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full California State University - Long Beach Journalism Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

CSUDH also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $2,455 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Journalism Report

California State University - Northridge landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 134 students in 2019-2020.

CSUN also took the #15 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Journalism at CSUN

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,475 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Journalism at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 78 students in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,668 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Southern California.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Southern California Journalism Report

#9

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Francisco State University.

Read more about Journalism at San Francisco State University

California State University - Sacramento came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 39 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State Journalism Report

California State University - Chico landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chico State 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 #10 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,260 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chico State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Chico State

#12

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $10,940 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at San Jose State

#13

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

Humboldt State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Humboldt State University also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $11,263 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Read more about Journalism at Humboldt State University

#14

Pacific Union College

Angwin, California
#21 in overall quality

Pacific Union College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pacific Union College is a small school located in Angwin, California that handed out 1 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, PUC has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pacific Union College is $15,901 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Journalism at PUC

#15

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

PLNU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend PLNU is $25,073 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Point Loma Nazarene University Journalism Report

#16

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#16 in overall quality

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. 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.

Cal Baptist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $20,277 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about Journalism at California Baptist University

The University of Arizona Global Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Arizona Global Campus is a large private for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 43 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UAGC also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for UAGC is $20,283 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Journalism at UAGC

#18

Biola University

La Mirada, California

Biola University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Biola University is located in La Mirada, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Biola, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Biola University is $25,135 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Journalism at Biola University

#19

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount also took the #3 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount University is $32,367 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. 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 full report on Journalism at Loyola Marymount

#20

University of La Verne

La Verne, California
#18 in overall quality

University of La Verne did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in La Verne, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, ULV has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of La Verne is $21,297 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about Journalism at ULV

#21

Chapman University

Orange, California

Chapman University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Orange, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

Chapman also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Chapman University is $33,219 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Read more about Journalism at Chapman University

#22

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California

Pepperdine University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Malibu, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Pepperdine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pepperdine University is $31,185 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at Pepperdine

#23

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#23 in overall quality

Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. This medium-sized school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Academy of Art University has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,390 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Academy of Art University.

Full Academy of Art University Journalism Report

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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