Best colleges for Journalism in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, University of Southern California and Chapman University are the top bachelor's Journalism programs in California by graduate earnings. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,637, College Scorecard. San Diego State University, University of Southern California and California State University - Fresno award the most Journalism degrees in California: 166, 156 and 93 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 77 California colleges offer Journalism and award 1,425 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Journalism program focuses on the principles and practices of reporting, writing, and broadcasting news. It is designed for students who are passionate about storytelling and wish to explore the diverse cultural values and ethical…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,637 | 82 | 86% | — | $19,333 |
| 2 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,651 | 156 | 92% | $26,873 | $16,250 |
| 3 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,645 | 36 | 82% | $42,965 | $22,500 |
| 4 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,668 | 25 | 63% | — | $18,750 |
| 5 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,788 | 30 | 50% | — | $16,875 |
| 6 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,102 | 40 | 87% | — | $16,900 |
| 7 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,644 | 29 | 56% | — | $20,000 |
| 8 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,564 | 87 | 57% | — | $15,480 |
| 9 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,269 | 166 | 76% | — | $14,998 |
| 10 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,844 | 93 | 69% | — | $15,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Journalism degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 166 | $30,269 |
| 2 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 156 | $44,651 |
| 3 | California State University - Fresno Fresno Public | 93 | Not reported |
| 4 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 93 | $28,844 |
| 5 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 87 | $30,564 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public | 82 | $48,637 |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 40 | $31,102 |
| 8 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit | 36 | $41,645 |
| 9 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 34 | Not reported |
| 10 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public | 30 | $31,788 |
ShowHide the other 67 California colleges offering Journalism
Career outlook
What this program leads to: News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists (SOC 27-3023).
Top skills
What News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Journalism programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Journalism degrees?+
San Diego State University (166 graduates a year), University of Southern California (156 graduates a year) and California State University - Fresno (93 graduates a year) award the most Journalism degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 77 California colleges offer Journalism.
What is the best college for Journalism in California?+
By graduate earnings, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo leads among bachelor's Journalism programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,637, College Scorecard. University of Southern California and Chapman University follow. By degrees awarded, San Diego State University is the largest, with 166 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Journalism program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo tops the list at $48,637. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the Journalism program?+
The Journalism program focuses on the principles and practices of reporting, writing, and broadcasting news. It is designed for students who are passionate about storytelling and wish to explore the diverse cultural values and ethical…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, writing, reading comprehension, active listening, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists?+
The national job outlook is about -3.9% growth with around 4,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card