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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Journalism

77 Ranked Colleges
1,181 Degrees Awarded
$42,572 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Journalism Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Journalism is the 69th most popular major in the country with 13,552 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,953 and had an average of $23,734 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,181 journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major” ranking, we looked at 77 colleges that offer a degree in journalism. That schools that top this list have a program in journalism in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Journalism Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree journalism students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Journalism

1
St. Bonaventure crest
St. Bonaventure University
Saint Bonaventure, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St. Bonaventure University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. This small school is located in Saint Bonaventure, New York, and it awarded 39 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at St. Bonaventure University

2
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Out of the 77 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Syracuse University landed the #2 spot on the list. Syracuse is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Syracuse, New York. It awarded 92 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Syracuse University

3
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Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

Out of the 77 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Emerson College landed the #3 spot on the list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Emerson College Journalism Report

4

Out of the 77 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 133 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Columbia Journalism Report

5
Full Sail University crest
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Full Sail University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Full Sail University is a large school located in Winter Park, Florida that handed out 47 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Full Sail University Journalism Report

6
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American University
Washington, District of Columbia

American University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. The American University is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 33 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at American University

7

School of the Art Institute of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full School of the Art Institute of Chicago Journalism Report

8
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Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut

Quinnipiac University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Quinnipiac University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hamden, Connecticut. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 19 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. 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 Quinnipiac Journalism Report

9

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 52 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Journalism at University of Missouri - Columbia

10
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking, coming in at #10. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 masters’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Read more about Journalism at Academy of Art University

11

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. UNL is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Journalism at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

12
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. This large school is located in Athens, Georgia, and it awarded 55 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at UGA

13
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Point Park University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Point Park University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. Point Park University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 4 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Point Park University

14

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIS Journalism Report

15

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. UA Little Rock is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Journalism at UA Little Rock

16
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University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Iowa Journalism Report

17
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Boston University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 36 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on Journalism at Boston University

18
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Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. Virginia Beach, Virginia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Journalism at Regent University

19
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. DePaul University is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 18 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 DePaul

20
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University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking, coming in at #20. University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at KU

21
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Morgan State University
Baltimore, Maryland

Morgan State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this medium-sized public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

Full Morgan State University Journalism Report

22
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #22, Harvard University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 26 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Harvard

23
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Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #23, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Georgetown is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Georgetown Journalism Report

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major list. Located in San Juan, , this fairly large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Journalism at University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras

25
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Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Journalism Major ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 21 masters’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Journalism at Northeastern

Notes and References

References

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