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.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find where journalism graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send journalism graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Drake University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid journalism graduates in Iowa. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a private not-for-profit institution. Journalism graduates of Drake University earn a median of about $57,439 a year early in their careers.
Iowa State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Iowa State University is a public school located in the city of Ames. Early-career journalism graduates from Iowa State University make a median of around $52,095 per year.
University Of Iowa came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying journalism schools. University Of Iowa is a public school located in the city of Iowa City. Journalism graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of about $57,097 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their journalism graduates, 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.