by our College Data Analytics Team
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The schools below stand out for the salaries their journalism graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their journalism graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send journalism graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked The University Of Alabama the top school for journalism graduate earnings in Alabama. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a public institution. Early-career journalism graduates from The University Of Alabama make a median of around $56,575 per year.
A rank of #2 makes Auburn University one of the highest-paying schools for journalism. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a public institution. After graduating, journalism degree recipients from Auburn University typically earn about $51,515 annually.
Samford University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying journalism schools. Set in the suburb of Birmingham, Samford University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, journalism degree recipients from Samford University typically earn about $49,222 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 · 3 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.