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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Journalism (Income $48-$75k) in California

22 Ranked Colleges
1,071 Degrees Awarded
$28,843 Avg Salary
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 14,528 people earned their degree in journalism, making the major the 62nd most popular in the United States. 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 $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 22 colleges that offer a degree in journalism. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality journalism programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank Journalism Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Journalism (Income $48-$75k) in California

#13 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 113 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $7,549 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 more about Journalism at Fresno State

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 101 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $10,807 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full CSULB Journalism Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. 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 took the #20 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $6,907 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Journalism at California State University - Dominguez Hills

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 134 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,783 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.

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%.

Full California State University - Northridge Journalism Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $19,407 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

University of California - Irvine ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

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 UC Irvine is $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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 full report on Journalism at University of California - Irvine

#7

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 133 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $14,730 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full San Diego State University Journalism Report

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Journalism at USC

California State University - Sacramento ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $11,413 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Journalism at Sac State

#10

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $16,661 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full San Francisco State University Journalism Report

California State University - Chico ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 68 students in 2019-2020.

Chico State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $16,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Journalism at California State University - Chico

#12

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Jose State is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, San Jose State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,397 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full San Jose State University Journalism Report

#13

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

With a ranking of #13, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Humboldt State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,723 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Full Humboldt State University Journalism Report

#14

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. PLNU is a small school located in San Diego, California that handed out 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 Point Loma Nazarene University is $28,716 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Journalism at Point Loma Nazarene University

#15

Pacific Union College

Angwin, California
#21 in overall quality

Pacific Union College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Angwin, California, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at PUC, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pacific Union College is $20,083 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Journalism at PUC

#16

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#16 in overall quality

California Baptist University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal Baptist is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 12 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Baptist, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $23,255 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California Baptist University.

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%.

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 $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UAGC also took the #19 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UAGC is $22,687 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Journalism at UAGC

#18

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California

Pepperdine University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Pepperdine is located in Malibu, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

Pepperdine also took the #5 spot in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pepperdine University is $31,918 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Pepperdine University Journalism Report

#19

Biola University

La Mirada, California

Biola University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Biola has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Biola is $29,212 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read full report on Journalism at Biola University

#20

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, 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 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Loyola Marymount has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $34,284 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Loyola Marymount Journalism Report

#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 $48-$75k list. Chapman is located in Orange, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Chapman has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chapman is $36,041 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#23 in overall quality

Academy of Art University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $38,617 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Journalism at Academy of Art University

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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