by our College Data Analytics Team
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their journalism graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying journalism schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose journalism graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Northeastern University the top school for journalism graduate earnings in Massachusetts. Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Students who complete the journalism program here go on to a median salary of roughly $62,784.
Strong graduate earnings at Boston University earned it the #2 place for journalism. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution. Journalism graduates of Boston University earn a median of about $73,498 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Emerson College earned it the #3 place for journalism. Emerson College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Early-career journalism graduates from Emerson College make a median of around $63,300 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in journalism will find them at University Of Massachusetts Amherst, which ranked #4. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a public school located in the city of Amherst. After graduating, journalism degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Amherst typically earn about $58,874 annually.
Suffolk University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in journalism, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Boston, Suffolk University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, journalism degree recipients from Suffolk University typically earn about $33,628 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries journalism graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.