2026 Best Journalism Schools in Washington
Journalism degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best journalism schools.
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Best Schools for Journalism in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall journalism education in Washington.
Top Schools in Journalism
Leading the list is University Of Washington Seattle Campus, our #1 school for journalism. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. About 85% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 33 journalism students who graduated with this degree at University Of Washington Seattle Campus in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus generally make around $33,250. Students borrow a median of $13,654 to complete this degree.
See the full journalism program report for University Of Washington Seattle Campus
Washington State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. Washington State University awarded about 58 journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their journalism degree from Washington State University earn around $36,273 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,506 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in journalism from Washington State University
Western Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best journalism schools. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 65%. About 42 journalism degrees were awarded at Western Washington University in the most recent year. Students who receive their journalism degree from Western Washington University earn around $34,119 in the first couple years of their career. Western Washington University graduates carry a median of $18,075 in student loans.
More information about a degree in journalism from Western Washington University
Gonzaga University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best journalism schools. Set in the city of Spokane, Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 16 journalism students who graduated with this degree at Gonzaga University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Gonzaga University generally make around $36,767. Gonzaga University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full journalism program report for Gonzaga University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
