WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+6% vs national median874 grads tracked

Journalism at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Ranked 18th of 127 bachelor's programs in Journalism by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$38,590
middle 50%: $29,297 – $50,030
Median · 5 years out
$62,297
middle 50%: $48,149 – $81,671
Median · 10 years out
$92,600
middle 50%: $65,679 – $129,339

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Journalism (bachelor's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's bachelor's program in Journalism earn a median $38,590 one year after graduating, rising to $92,600 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 6% above the national median of $58,956 for this field, ranking 18th of 127 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
6.8 yrs
≈ $8,192 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of Colorado Boulder
$65,149 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$64,832 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
$64,533 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$62,956 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University
$62,781 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$62,777 · 5 yrs out
University of Oklahoma
$61,417 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$61,364 · 5 yrs out
Utah State University
$60,067 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$59,859 · 5 yrs out
Bethel University
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
University of North Texas
$59,826 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$226,077 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$206,093 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$177,207 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$176,681 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$173,815 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$164,239 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$159,201 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$152,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,479 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$126,011 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Law (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

Communication and Media Studies
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
Compare universities
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Compare universities
Publishing
Compare universities
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Compare universities