by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 24 U.S. colleges awarded 382 degrees and certificates in Publishing. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 76% of graduates. College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Publishing Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $42,218 one year after completing, rising to $64,973 after four years.
Being a publisher gives you the ability to create visually stimulating layouts. Publishers take information, shift it into a distributable form, and advertise it to the general public. They work to ensure other people's messages are read and received by others. They can do everything from editing and designing book covers to producing and selling a final product.
As a student, you will take classes in computer hardware and software, digital imaging, page layout and design, desktop publishing, graphic design, and other courses that will teach you how to layout and arrange text or images. The curriculum will also focus on businesses classes such as marketing and finance.
A degree in Publishing involves the study of Publishing.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, publishing draws strong interest, with 382 degrees awarded annually. 24 colleges award publishing degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 50.
By level, the 382 awards include 88 bachelor’s degrees and 292 master’s degrees.
Women earned 89% of publishing degrees and certificates in the latest year (339 of 382). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (261) and Hispanic or Latino (56), and international students earned 19.
College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Publishing Schools ranking, including 2 for bachelor’s degrees and 5 for master’s degrees. It also ranks publishing schools within 6 states. In all, 24 colleges offer publishing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Publishing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common publishing credential is the master’s degree: 292 of the 382 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to publishing call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of English Language, Communications and Media and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Written Expression and Oral Expression.
Publishing is a great major for someone who is creative and a multi-tasker. Publishers will do much of their work on computers making this a good job for those who understand and enjoy working with different types of software. Those who are successful in publishing pay close attention to detail and have excellent time management skills to ensure deadlines are kept and met. Meeting those deadlines takes a lot of hard work and can mean working overtime. Current publishers note that publishing can be hectic and, at times, can take up most of your free time.
It is recommended that those who are interested in publishing gain experience at a magazine, newspaper, website, or other publishing firm. This will teach you the basic tasks and prepare you for a career in publishing. Other opportunities to gain experience in publishing are by working with your campus' newspaper, magazine, or journal.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a publishing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 88 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 292 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to publishing, at 80.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 80.4% |
| Master’s degree | 17.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Publishing, with an average median salary of $100,346; the strongest outlook belongs to Editors, at 3.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Science Editor, Newspaper Photo Editor, Market Editor and Story Reader.
A major in Publishing could lead to a variety of careers. While many graduates may decide to work for a publishing house, magazine, or website, there are plenty of other jobs graduates are qualified for. These include a career in book promotions and sales, advertising, project management, and writing. Some graduates decide to pursue an advanced degree and go into the fields of law, business or education.
As fewer newspapers, books, and magazines are being published in print, there will be likely decrease in the amount of publishers needed.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to publishing, at 11,763.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Editors | 11,763 | 3.2% |
Publishing graduates earn a median $42,218 one year after completing their program, $64,973 after four years and $65,201 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,218 |
| 4 years | $64,973 |
| 5 years | $65,201 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to publishing, with a median salary of $100,346.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Editors | $100,346 |
Publishing includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Publishing (382). It has 5 similar majors in the Communication & Journalism field, which together award 108,101 degrees a year; the largest are Communication, General (55,601), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (20,547) and Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (19,210). Browse all Communication & Journalism majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Publishing | 382 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Communication, General | 55,601 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 20,547 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 19,210 |
| Journalism | 11,474 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | 1,269 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
