WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+20% vs national median2,756 grads tracked

Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Ranked 4th of 127 bachelor's programs in Journalism by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$43,642
middle 50%: $33,571 – $55,361
Median · 5 years out
$70,830
middle 50%: $52,474 – $93,653
Median · 10 years out
$94,456
middle 50%: $65,535 – $139,416

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 Wisconsin - Madison's bachelor's program in Journalism earn a median $43,642 one year after graduating, rising to $94,456 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 20% above the national median of $58,956 for this field, ranking 4th 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
6.2 yrs
≈ $7,202 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Washington and Lee University
$72,181 · 5 yrs out
University of Richmond
$72,014 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$68,802 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$66,847 · 5 yrs out
Quinnipiac University
$66,761 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$66,726 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$66,130 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$65,758 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 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