by our College Data Analytics Team
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the early-career earnings of their journalism graduates.
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Below are the schools whose journalism graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked University Of Denver the top school for journalism graduate earnings in Colorado. University Of Denver is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Students who complete the journalism program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,844.
University Of Colorado Boulder came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying journalism schools. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a public institution. Journalism graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of about $75,662 a year early in their careers.
Metropolitan State College Of Denver produces some of the highest-paid graduates in journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a public institution. Early-career journalism graduates from Metropolitan State College Of Denver make a median of around $56,304 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #4 place for journalism. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. After graduating, journalism degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins typically earn about $55,367 annually.
University Of Northern Colorado produces some of the highest-paid graduates in journalism, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a public institution. Students who complete the journalism program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,764.
This ranking is produced 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.