What Can You Do With a Journalism Degree? Careers In and Beyond the Newsroom

Journalism is one of the most debated majors among parents, and for good reason. Traditional news jobs have been shrinking for years. At the same time, the core skills of the degree, finding accurate information fast, interviewing people and writing so anyone can understand, are some of the most transferable a student can learn.

This guide gives you the honest picture: where journalism grads work, what they earn, how the newsroom market has changed, and how AI fits in. If your teen is weighing a broader media degree, compare our communications degree guide.

What jobs can you get with a journalism degree?

Journalism grads work as reporters, editors, producers, podcasters and multimedia journalists, and many move into public relations, content marketing, technical writing, social media and corporate communications. BLS reports reporters earned a median $62,200, editors $77,920 and PR specialists $74,750 in May 2025.

Pay below is the national median (the middle wage) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, the newest release. Our calculator and Continuum use a different series, so their numbers won't match exactly.

1. Reporter or Multimedia Journalist

Researches, interviews and produces stories for print, web, TV, radio or podcasts. BLS: median $62,200 (middle half $45,370–$98,450).

2. Editor

Plans, edits and fact-checks content for news outlets, magazines, companies and publishers. BLS: median $77,920.

3. Broadcast Announcer or Host

Presents news, sports or talk programming. BLS broadcast announcers and radio DJs: median $47,340.

4. Video Editor or Producer

Shapes video stories for newsrooms and brands. BLS film and video editors: median $75,420.

5. Public Relations Specialist

Writes press releases, pitches reporters and manages an organization's public image. BLS: median $74,750. One of the most common paths for journalism grads.

6. Writer or Content Strategist

Writes for brands, nonprofits and publishers. BLS writers and authors: median $76,910.

7. Technical Writer

Turns complex information into clear guides and documentation. BLS: median $90,390.

8. Marketing Specialist

Plans campaigns and analyzes audiences. BLS market research analysts and marketing specialists: median $78,760.

9. Public Relations Manager

Leads communications teams after experience. BLS: median $146,910.

How much do journalists make?

BLS reports a median of $62,200 for news analysts, reporters and journalists in May 2025, with the middle half earning $45,370–$98,450. Pay varies by employer: BLS lists a median of $49,220 at newspapers and $80,180 at streaming and online media. Related paths like technical writing ($90,390) pay more at the median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national estimates. The middle 50% is the 25th to 75th percentile. Pay varies by state, employer and experience.

Is journalism a dying field?

Not dying, but changing and shrinking in traditional outlets. BLS projects a 6% decline in reporter jobs from 2025 to 2035, still with about 3,400 openings a year. Pew found newspaper newsroom jobs fell 57% from 2008 to 2020, while digital-native newsroom jobs rose 144%.

Pew's analysis counted about 114,000 newsroom employees in 2008 and about 85,000 in 2020. Most of the decline happened by 2014, and total newsroom employment was fairly stable from 2014 to 2020. BLS points to falling advertising revenue and consolidation as the main pressures, but also notes rising demand for online news. In practice, journalism jobs increasingly mean video, audio, data and social skills alongside writing, and BLS reports 17% of journalists are self-employed.

Is a journalism degree worth it?

It can be, if your student builds a strong portfolio and keeps costs low. New York Fed data show low unemployment (2.3%) but high underemployment (43.3%) for recent journalism grads, meaning many work in jobs that don't need a degree. Pay grows meaningfully by mid-career, to a $87,000 median.

The New York Fed tracks how journalism graduates actually fare, using Census survey data. Recent graduates (ages 22–27) had an unemployment rate of 2.3% and an underemployment rate of 43.3%, meaning that share worked in jobs that don't usually require a degree. Median pay was $49,000 early in their careers and $87,000 at mid-career (ages 35–45), and 26% of journalism bachelor's holders also have a graduate degree.

MajorMatch's Journalism Loan vs Upside calculator starts from Continuum wages of about $68,000 early-career and $95,000 mid-career. At its default $50,000 loan (6.5% for 10 years), total repayment is about $68,129, against an estimated lifetime earnings gain of about $714,740 over a high-school-only path, roughly 10.5 times the loan cost. It is an illustration you can adjust with your real net price, not a quote.

That ratio is lower than most majors in this series because early pay is modest. The biggest levers are affordable tuition, internships every summer, and student-media work: BLS says employers prefer candidates who have worked on school newspapers, radio or TV stations.

Will AI replace journalists?

AI will change journalism a lot, but it can't replace reporting. MajorMatch's AI-Proof Career Check rates journalism at 70% task exposure overall, one of the higher scores we track, with writers and authors at 83%. Drafting text is highly exposed; developing sources, interviewing people, verifying facts and being on the scene are not.

MajorMatch's AI-Proof Career Check (part of the assessment results) estimates what share of a job's tasks AI tools could significantly speed up or automate. It measures exposure, not a forecast of job loss. Journalism scores 70% overall. Students should lean into the parts of the job machines can't do: original reporting, local knowledge, investigative work, on-camera and audio presence, and data skills to check what AI produces. For the bigger picture, see our guide to AI-proof college majors.

Is journalism the right major for your teen?

It fits curious, persistent students who love asking questions, write clearly and handle deadlines and criticism well. Working on the school paper, a podcast or a local news internship is the best test. Students who want a predictable, high starting salary may prefer communications, marketing or a double major.

Compare with English and marketing, and consider a double major or minor. Then take the assessment to see where Journalism ranks for your student.

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