2025 Best Colleges for Journalism
February 25, 2025
Whether you dream of being the next great investigative reporter, White House correspondent, or SportsCenter anchor, your path begins with an undergraduate degree in journalism. For better or for worse, the journalism field is changing rapidly, with traditional newspaper reporting giving way to social media, video content, podcasts, and other new media advances. The lines between print and broadcast journalism have blurred creating a need for a new generation of versatile, multi-talented individuals. Our list of the Best Colleges for Journalism includes some of most long-revered journalism schools in the country: SI Newhouse (Syracuse), the Missouri School of Journalism, and the Medill School of Journalism (Northwestern), as well as lesser-known but still top-notch journalism schools across the United States.
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Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Journalism.
Salary Information
Want to know how much money graduates of the best journalism colleges make when they begin their careers? For each college listed (and hundreds of additional schools), you can view the starting salaries for journalism majors.
Best Colleges for Journalism
Here鈥檚 a quick preview of the first ten journalism institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below:
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All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the area of journalism and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best journalism colleges, 国产第一福利影院草草 will provide you with鈥攚hen available鈥攖he university鈥檚:
- Enrollment
- Cost of Attendance
- Acceptance Rate
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- Retention Rate
- Graduation Rate
We will also include a longer write-up of each college鈥檚:
- Academic Highlights 鈥 Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
- Professional Outcomes 鈥 Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.
New York University
- New York, NY
Academic Highlights: NYU is divided into a number of smaller (but still quite large) colleges organized by discipline; in sum, there are 270 areas of undergraduate study across nine schools and colleges. For its size, a commendable 59% of classes have an enrollment under 20 students. The school puts a great deal of money into undergraduate research, and it has been running an Undergraduate Research Conference for over forty years. Summer research opportunities are plentiful, including through the School of Engineering鈥檚 ten-week summer research program for rising juniors and seniors. With more than 4,000 students studying in foreign countries each year, NYU sends more undergrads abroad than any other US university.
Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting, 94% of Class of 2023 grads had landed at their next destination, with 71% employed and 26% in graduate school. Large numbers of alumni can be found at Google, Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Meta, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs. The mean starting salary is $76,011. New York is (by more than ten times) the most popular destination over number two choice California. New Jersey, Texas, and Massachusetts were next in attracting the highest numbers of recent alumni.
- Enrollment: 29,760
- Cost of Attendance: $87,752
- Median SAT: 1530
- Median ACT: 34
- Acceptance Rate: 12%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
University of Southern California
- Los Angeles, CA
Academic Highlights: Aided by a favorable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities. Each school/college has a course entitled Directed Research 490 in which students work closely with a faculty supervisor and earn between two and eight credits, countless other opportunities exist to get one鈥檚 hands dirty in academic research. Each department has its own slate of study abroad offerings and Maymester programs, which are short-term intensive courses held stateside and abroad.
Professional Outcomes: 93% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The median salary across all majors is an astounding $85k. Presently, between 500 and 2,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, and Oracle. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2023 USC grads include Columbia, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Harvard, with most remaining at USC for their advanced studies.
- Enrollment: 21,023
- Cost of Attendance: $90,453
- Median SAT: 1510
- Median ACT: 33
- Acceptance Rate: 10%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
Boston University
- Boston, MA
Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across 12 schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small鈥59% contain fewer than twenty students; only 20% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1. The Research Opportunities Program (UROP) funds 650 students per year, and many additional students participate in BU鈥檚 research for credit, volunteer, work-study, and other independent opportunities.
Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 94% of recent BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-third of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs, such as those at MIT, Carnegie Mellon, John Hopkins, and Columbia.
- Enrollment: 18,656
- Cost of Attendance: $86,363
- Median SAT: 1470
- Median ACT: 33
- Acceptance Rate: 11%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 90%
The University of Texas at Austin
- Austin, TX
Academic Highlights: UT Austin offers over 170 majors. Sn encouraging 36% of course sections enroll nineteen or fewer students. Opportunities for undergraduate research vary by school, and many student must compete for slots in programs such as Summer聽Research Scholars or use the Eureka database to find individual professors offering research assistantships. A robust study abroad program boasts 400 offerings in 100+ foreign countries; 4,600+ students participate each year, the third-largest number in the country.
Professional Outcomes:聽 Over 1000 alumni work in the offices of Dell, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Deloitte; IBM, Meta, Oracle, and AMD employ over 500 each. Graduates early in their careers earn a median salary of $77,400, with median mid-career pay reaching $141,100. Roughly one-quarter of University of Texas at Austin undergraduates go on to pursue advanced degrees after completing their bachelor鈥檚. Many pursue advanced study at UT Austin itself, which offers more than one hundred graduate programs. Many alumni stay in Texas after graduation, settling in Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth.
- Enrollment: 42,444
- Cost of Attendance: $31,572 (In-State); $62,672 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1370
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 29%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
University of Wisconsin 鈥 Madison
- Madison, WI
Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 43% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Undergraduate research opportunities exist, but the onus is on the student to show initiative and procure the placement. Still, 44% of recent grads engaged in research, and the school hosts an annual Undergraduate Symposium where 600 students presented in 2024. Participation is much higher when it comes to study abroad programs; 25% of students take advantage each year and there are 325 programs in 80 countries to choose from.
Professional Outcomes: In 2023, 72% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.聽 Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, UW Health, the State of Wisconsin, Kohl’s, and Deloitte. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Target, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce. Class of 2023 grads enrolled in graduate/professional programs at a rate of 28%; volunteering is also a popular path post-graduation for UW-Madison alumni as the university is the #1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers.
- Enrollment: 36,797
- Cost of Attendance: $28,905 (In-State); $58,303 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1450
- Median ACT: 30
- Acceptance Rate: 43%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
American University
- Washington, D.C.
Academic Highlights: All undergrads are exposed to a recently adopted core curriculum that focuses on enhancing students鈥 metacognitive abilities. Requirements include more than thirty credits of study in courses such as Complex Problems, Quantitative Literacy, Ethical Reasoning, Creative-Aesthetic Inquiry, and Written Communication Undergraduate research opportunities are taken advantage of by nearly half of all AU students.
Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 91% of AU grads have found employment, are enrolled in grad school, or both. Employers include the U.S. House of Representatives, City Teaching Alliance, the U.S. Department of State, and the District of Columbia Public Schools, with graduates earning an average salary of $65,909 within six months. Many of the most popular grad school destinations are only a Metro stop away. George Washington, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, and American itself head the list.
- Enrollment: 7,817
- Cost of Attendance: $76,175
- Median SAT: 1380
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 47%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
George Washington University
- Washington, D.C.
Academic Highlights: The school鈥檚 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to a mix of small, medium, and large undergraduate sections. Seven percent of courses have single-digit enrollments, 11% have over 50 students, and the majority fall in the 10 to 29 range. In recent years, the university has invested in increasing the number of undergraduate research experiences available to its students through the GW Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The efforts are paying off as 400 undergrads now present at the GW Research Days, a two-day event held in April. Close to half of Revolutionaries study abroad for one semester in Europe (65%), Asia (10%), Latin America (8%), Africa (7%), or Australia (6%).
Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving GW, 93% of the Class of 2023 had found their way to gainful employment or graduate school while 6% were still job hunting. Of the 64% of grads already in the workplace, 64% were in a for-profit industry, 26% had entered a nonprofit position, and 10% were working in government. A healthy 26% of those earning their diplomas in 2023 immediately turned their attention to earning an advanced degree. Fifty-three percent of grads earned a starting salary in excess of $60k, while an additional 30% earned between $40k and $60k Just under three-quarters of recent grads remained in the Mid-Atlantic region with the West and Mountain regions a distant second.
- Enrollment: 11,387
- Cost of Attendance: $84,315
- Median SAT: 1430
- Median ACT: 32
- Acceptance Rate: 44%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
University of Maryland, College Park
- College Park, MD
Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can select from 100+ majors across twelve colleges and schools. 47% of class sections enroll fewer than twenty students. Undergraduate research opportunities are within reach as 21% of recent graduates completed one. The Office of Undergraduate Research facilitates numerous opportunities throughout the year, and hosts an annual Undergraduate Research Day and Summer Undergraduate Research Conference at which 550+ students make presentations. Fourteen percent of students also pursue a study abroad experience at one of 300+ destinations in 60 countries.
Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 94% of Class of 2023 grads had positive outcomes. 71% found employment; the companies/organizations that hired the greatest number of grads included Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, Capital One, and Montgomery County Public Schools. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft employ more than 900 alumni each.聽 The salary range for 2023 grads was between $60k and $86k. 21% of the Class of 2023 headed directly to graduate and professional school.
- Enrollment: 30,608
- Cost of Attendance: $30,885 (In-State); $59,686 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1460
- Median ACT: 33
- Acceptance Rate: 45%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
University of Richmond
- Richmond, VA
Academic Highlights: There are over sixty undergraduate majors at UR. The student- to-faculty ratio is 7:1, the average class size is sixteen students. Thirty-five percent of Richmond students participate in an intensive research experience with a faculty member prior to graduation, and students can have those summer opportunities funded through the Richmond Guarantee, which sees the university fund research apprenticeships as well as internships. Nearly 500 students receive such funding every summer. Going abroad is the norm at UR鈥65% take a semester or full year of study in one of seventy-five programs in 60 countries.
Professional Outcomes: One year after graduation, 92% of Richmond grads who were seeking employment had found jobs, with an average salary range of $60,000-$64,999. Companies where you can find at least 50 Richmond alumni employed include Capital One, Deloitte, PwC, EY, Amazon, Google, and Morgan Stanley.聽 20% of recent alumni chose to enroll directly in a graduate or professional degree program. Large pockets of alumni can be found in New York City, DC, Philadelphia, and Boston.
- Enrollment: 3,054
- Cost of Attendance: $81,320
- Median SAT: 1470
- Median ACT: 33
- Acceptance Rate: 23%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
University of Missouri-Columbia
- Columbia, MO
Academic Highlights: Mizzou offers students one of the most comprehensive public university experiences with 97 undergraduate majors and 300+ total degree programs across 10 schools and colleges. The university combines large-research-university resources with surprising intimacy鈥43% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students (12% with single-digit sections)鈥攕upported by a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Early research thrives through initiatives like the Summer Research Exposure Program for underclassmen, while global perspectives expand via study abroad programs in 50+ countries. This dynamic learning environment serves a diverse community representing all 50 states and 100+ countries.
Professional Outcomes:聽Mizzou graduates achieve strong career momentum, with 64% employed and 19% pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation. The university serves as Missouri’s leading educator and employer, with alumni contributing significantly to University of Missouri Health Care (the state’s largest hospital system), Columbia Public Schools, and global enterprises like Boeing and PwC. Most graduates continuing their education choose Mizzou’s own highly-ranked graduate programs or other Missouri institutions, demonstrating the university’s dual role as both the state’s premier talent pipeline and a springboard to national career opportunities.
- Enrollment: 23,613
- Cost of Attendance: $32,272 (In-State); $52,480 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1230
- Median ACT: 26
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
Emerson College
- Boston, MA
Academic Highlights:聽Emerson College offers 27 distinctive majors, each infused with performance or artistic elements that foster creative expression across disciplines. With a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 70% of classes seating fewer than 20 students, the college ensures personalized attention in its collaborative learning environment. Emerson extends its creative education beyond campus through innovative global programs, including the Global Pathways Program that transforms academic breaks into immersive travel experiences, and partnership programs with Paris College of Art and Franklin University Switzerland that provide international study opportunities.
Professional Outcomes:聽Emerson graduates quickly establish themselves in creative fields, with 58% securing employment and 9% entering graduate programs within six months of graduation. Alumni frequently join prominent organizations such as WHDH-TV, Nexstar Media Group, The Walt Disney Company, and United Talent Agency. While the majority build their careers in Massachusetts, significant numbers of graduates also migrate to creative hubs in California, New York, and Washington, D.C., leveraging Emerson’s strong industry connections and reputation in media and performing arts.
- Enrollment: 4,171
- Cost of Attendance: $80,612
- Median SAT: 1340
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 47%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 79%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC
Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor鈥檚 degree programs across several schools and colleges. 87% of classes have fewer than 50 students, while聽39% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. UNC sends forty percent of graduates abroad to one of 70 countries at some point in their educational career. Research is required as part of the general education curriculum, and plenty of faculty-mentored opportunities and funded formal programs are also available. In 2024, over 600 students shared their research at the annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research.
Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 94% of 2023 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Amazon, Fidelity Investments, and Epic Games. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $74,292. Nine percent of 2023 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.
- Enrollment: 20,681
- Cost of Attendance: $26,109 (In-State); $56,450 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1470
- Median ACT: 32
- Acceptance Rate: 19%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
The Ohio State University 鈥 Columbus
- Columbus, OH
Academic Highlights: There are 250+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. A 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to fairly large classes as only 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, so expect a fair number of courses in a large lecture hall setting. Still, aggressive students can find opportunities to work closely with faculty. The Office of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry helps approximately 600 students per year participate in undergraduate research forums. All told, approximately 20% of students gain research experience. Last year, nearly 1,800 undergraduates elected to study abroad in one of 350+ short- and long-term programs spread across 70 countries; OSU has the third-highest study abroad enrollment numbers in the Big 10.
Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 64% of Class of 2023 graduates entered the world of employment while 14% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.聽 Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation鈥檚 leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, and more than 500 work for Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU鈥檚 own programs.
- Enrollment: 45,728
- Cost of Attendance: $31,231 (In-State); $56,737 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1400
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 51%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
Washington and Lee University
- Lexington, VA
Academic Highlights: The university offers 37 majors and 29 minors. With an exceptionally low 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and no graduate students to attend to, W&L undergraduates enjoy loads of attention. Over 83% of class sections contain 19 or fewer students, Instructors earn rave reviews as 98% of recent grads were either 鈥渧ery satisfied鈥 or 鈥渟atisfied鈥 by the quality of their professors. Students can participate in research via a number of programs, including the Summer Research Scholars Program, which allows undergrads to collaborate with faculty in the field or lab. Studying abroad is common, with 60% of grads spending a semester or summer in a foreign land.
Professional Outcomes: Last year, 69% of recent graduates found employment within six months of leaving Lexington. Companies presently employing more than two dozen Generals including Wells Fargo, EY, Williams Investment Society, PwC, Deloitte, Capital One, Bank of America, and JP Morgan. Starting salaries are solid with the majority of the cohort being paid $55,000 or more while 18% brought home in excess of $75,000.
- Enrollment: 1,898
- Cost of Attendance: $87,000
- Median SAT: 1490
- Median ACT: 34
- Acceptance Rate: 17%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 95%
Syracuse University
- Syracuse, NY
Academic Highlights: Despite a high number of graduate students also studying at SU, class sizes are kept reasonably low; 61% contain 20 students or fewer. The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Engagement (The SOURCE) supports student participation in faculty-guided research via a number of short- and long-term opportunities, many of which are funded. As a result, 250 students engaged in research last summer alone. The university鈥檚 office of study abroad programs arranges for 46% of undergrads to spend a semester in a foreign land.
Professional Outcomes: Six months after exiting the Carrier Dome for the final time in 2023, 63% of Orangemen and women found employment (93% related to their career goals) and 26% continued to graduate school. The companies employing the most 鈥楥use grads include major companies like ESPN, Bloomberg, and Creative Artists Agency as well as big-name corporations like GE, KPMG, EY, Lockheed Martin, and Morgan Stanley. The average starting salary for 2023 grads was a solid $63k.
- Enrollment: 15,739
- Cost of Attendance: $85,147
- Median SAT: 1340
- Median ACT: 30
- Acceptance Rate: 42%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
Northeastern University
- Boston, MA
Academic Highlights: Northeastern offers 130 majors and 199 combined majors within nine colleges and programs. Nearly two-thirds of Husky classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students, and 13% have single-digit enrollments. Large lecture hall courses crammed with undergrads are rare at this school鈥攐nly 7% of sections sport a student enrollment of fifty or more. Since 2006, Northeastern has added an incredible 650+ tenured and tenure-track faculty members. Undergraduate research opportunities exist in all departments, and experiential learning of some type is had by virtually all graduates, thanks to the school鈥檚 illustrious and robust co-op program.聽In a given year, 3,700+ students have a global experience in one of 65+ countries, and 250+ students participate in a co-op program overseas.
Professional Outcomes: Nine months after leaving Northeastern, 97% of students have landed at their next employment or graduate school destination. Huskies entering the job market are quickly rounded up by the likes of Amazon, Fidelity Investments, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, all of whom employ 500+ Northeastern alums. Between 200 and 500 employees at Meta, CVS Health, Goldman Sachs, and Tesla have an NU lineage. Starting salaries are above average (70% make more than $70k), in part due to the stellar co-op program.
- Enrollment: 15,891
- Cost of Attendance: $84,731
- Median SAT: 1500
- Median ACT: 34
- Acceptance Rate: 6%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 90%
University of Minnesota鈥揟win Cities
- Minneapolis, MN
Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. A 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio is deployed effectively so that 65% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. No matter your field of study, you can utilize UM鈥檚 well-maintained database of upcoming faculty research projects as a way to connect directly with the professor of your choice; more than 2,000 undergraduates participate in a research or creative project every year. An outstanding 30% of UMTC students study abroad during their academic career with the most popular destinations being Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Professional Outcomes: Over 1000 alumni work at Target, Medtronic, 3M, and U.S. Bank; Amazon, Google, Cargill, and Microsoft employ 500+ UMN graduates each. The average starting salary across all majors is approximately 60k and recent employers include Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Abbott, IBM, EcoLab, Boston Scientific, Wells Fargo, Google, Apple, and Microsoft and Epic. With 130 graduate programs, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.
- Enrollment: 39,556
- Cost of Attendance: $32,866 (In-State); $52,780 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1400
- Median ACT: 29
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
University of Florida
- Gainesville, FL
Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. UF impressively offers 50% of sections with an enrollment of fewer than 20 students. The Center for Undergraduate Research offers a University Research Scholars program as well as summer opportunities, hosts its own Undergraduate Research Symposium, and publishes its own UF Journal of Undergraduate Research. Forty percent of all undergrads have such an experience. The school has connections to 1,100 study abroad programs that are taken advantage of by more than 2,900 undergrads each year.
Professional Outcomes: The University of Florida demonstrates exceptional career preparation, with 83% of the Class of 2024 securing employment by graduation day. Gator alumni have established a strong presence at leading tech giants, with 200+ graduates currently working at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, and Oracle. The class achieved an impressive average starting salary of $68,000. For those continuing their education, popular graduate destinations include the University of South Florida, Nova Southeastern University, and Georgia Tech, showcasing UF’s strong pipeline to both immediate employment and advanced academic opportunities.
- Enrollment: 34,924
- Cost of Attendance: $22,601 (In-State); $44,879 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1390
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 24%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
Indiana University
- Bloomington, IL
Academic Highlights: IU offers 200+ majors The university鈥檚 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio is strong for a school of Indiana鈥檚 size, and it does make an effort to keep undergraduate classes on the small side. While there are a number of introductory courses that transpire in giant lecture halls, 35% of all sections contain no more than 19 students. Experiential learning opportunities are available to those who seize them; over one-quarter of arts and sciences students completed research with a faculty member. On the study abroad front, roughly the same percentage of A&S graduates spent a semester in a foreign country. In total, the school offers 380 programs in 70 countries and 20 languages.
Professional Outcomes: Class of 2023 grads reached their next employment or graduate school destination at a 92% rate within six months of receiving their degrees. The median starting salary for IU grads ranged between $54,000 and $60,000. Among the largest employers of Hoosier alumni are local pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, EY, Amazon, PwC, Salesforce, Deloitte, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Accenture, and Google. Indianapolis, Chicago, Bloomington, and New York City are the locales where you can find the greatest concentration of Indiana graduates.
- Enrollment: 36,833
- Cost of Attendance: $28,900 (In-State); $57,592 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1280
- Median ACT: 30
- Acceptance Rate: 80%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
Lehigh University
- Bethlehem, PA
Academic Highlights: Lehigh has a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, but classes aren鈥檛 as tiny as one might expect with such favorable staffing numbers. The average class size is 28 but, on the plus side, 41% of courses have enrollments of 19 or fewer. Undergraduate research is commonplace, particularly within the engineering school. Each year, 40% of engineering students gain faculty-led research experience. Additionally, 40% of graduates engage in some type of international experience, whether it鈥檚 a semester of academic study abroad or a foreign-based internship. Roughly half of those students took courses in one of 250 study abroad programs approved by the university.
Professional Outcomes: Recent grads quickly found their way toward the next productive step in their lives with 95% landing jobs or grad school placements within six months of leaving Lehigh. The average starting salary for a recent grad is $76,000. Top employers include Amazon, Citigroup, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, ExxonMobil, GE, Google, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Merck, and Microsoft, CBS, People Magazine, and the National Institutes of Health. Twenty-four percent of recent diploma-earners head straight to graduate school and enrolled in programs at Harvard, Temple, Columbia, NYU, Johns Hopkins, Rice, and Vanderbilt.
- Enrollment: 5,811
- Cost of Attendance: $81,150
- Median SAT: 1430
- Median ACT: 32
- Acceptance Rate: 29%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
University of Georgia
- Athens, GA
Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students compared with 12% of sections that enroll 50 or more. No matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school鈥檚 faculty. The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) awards grants to 500 students per year, and in 2024, a robust 620+ students presented at the CURO Symposium. Meanwhile, the Office of Global Engagement helps 3,000 students annually find which of the 100+ study abroad programs (many of which are led by UGA faculty) is right for them
Professional Outcomes: 95% of the Class of 2023 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, the CDC, Deloitte, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, PwC, and Bank of America. Salaries vary between colleges; however, the median hovers around 60k. In 2023, 23% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Duke, Emory, Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilt.
- Enrollment: 31,514
- Cost of Attendance: $28,106 (In-State); $47,146 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1270
- Median ACT: 29
- Acceptance Rate: 37%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 87%
Arizona State University
- Tempe, AZ
Academic Highlights: All students must complete a minimum of twenty-nine credits in General Studies courses.聽 They must also meet requirements in three 鈥渁wareness areas鈥: Cultural Diversity in the United States, Global Awareness, and Historical Awareness. There are plenty of opportunities for experiential learning as close to half of undergrads engage in research, land an internship, or have a practicum experience as part of their academic program.
Professional Outcomes: A healthy 89% percent of ASU graduates looking for work are employed within six months of earning their degrees. The median salary for an ASU grad is roughly $55,000. Among the school鈥檚 top fifty employers are Starbucks, the U.S. Air Force, Amazon, and the Intel Corporation. Most graduates settle in the Greater Phoenix area, with Tempe, Phoenix, and Los Angeles rounding out the list of the top three cities where recent alumni can be found.
- Enrollment: 65,174
- Cost of Attendance: $33,270 (in-state); $53,412 (out-of-state)
- Average SAT: 1248
- Average ACT: 24
- Acceptance Rate: 90%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
Southern Methodist University
- Dallas, TX
Academic Highlights: In total, SMU offers 120+ majors and 85 minors. Thanks in part to an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 55% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students. Opportunities for personal connection and guidance extend beyond the聽classroom as 1,000 current SMU students have participated in undergraduate research or apprenticeships. The 150 study abroad programs in 50 countries attract about one-quarter of Mustangs at some point during their four years of study.
Professional Highlights: On graduation day, over 88% of recent grads already had their first jobs or graduate school destinations in hand. Major corporations employing the greatest number of Mustangs are Lockheed Martin, JP Morgan Chase, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Deloitte, Raytheon, Amazon, AT&T, and Goldman Sachs. In 2023, the average starting salary was $90k across all majors ($99k for Cox School of Business grads). Ten percent of seniors elected to immediately pursue an advanced degree, matriculating at prestigious institutions such as the University of Notre Dame, NYU, Vanderbilt, Columbia, and Boston University.
- Enrollment: 7,115
- Cost of Attendance: $86,090
- Median SAT: 1410
- Median ACT: 32
- Acceptance Rate: 61%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Amherst, MA
Academic Highlights: Over 100 majors are offered across eight undergraduate colleges. You will encounter a number of smaller sections during your time at UMass as 47% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students; a stunning 96% of graduates report being satisfied with their academic experience. Further, a substantial and encouraging 30% report engaging in some type of undergraduate research. For a large university, UMass also enjoys fairly wide participation in its study abroad program. Every year, 1,200 students spend a semester in one of 56 countries.
Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 62% of newly minted 2023 grads were employed full-time and 24% were attending graduate school part-time. Companies presently employing 100+ Minutemen and Minutewomen include Fidelity, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Meta, and Salesforce. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates; it鈥檚 followed by Springfield, Massachusetts, and New York City.
- Enrollment: 23,936
- Cost of Attendance: $34,666 (In-State); $56,602 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1390
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 58%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
Rutgers University 鈥 New Brunswick
- New Brunswick, NJ
Academic Highlights: Rutgers is divided into 19 schools and colleges, collectively offering 120+ undergraduate majors. Forty percent of class sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students compared to only 19% of sections that contain more than 50 undergrads. The Aresty Research Center facilitates several programs that match 300+ undergraduates per year with faculty members conducting research in an area of interest. An annual Undergraduate Research Symposium鈥攐ne of the largest in the country鈥攈as showcased thousands of student projects in its 20 years of existence.
Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 89% of Class of 2023 grads had secured a first job or were heading to an advanced degree program. 71% headed directly to the world of employment, where the companies hiring the largest number of grads included RWJBarnabas Health, Amazon, and Lockheed Martin. Investment banks like JP Morgan Chase employ hundreds of alumni, as do companies like Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and CVS Pharmacy. The median starting salary across all majors was $70,000.
- Enrollment: 36,588
- Cost of Attendance: $37,717 (In-State); $56,479 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1380
- Median ACT: 31
- Acceptance Rate: 65%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
Elon University
- Elon, NC
Academic Highlights: Elon鈥檚 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 20 students; 49% of sections contain fewer than 20 students. A whopping 88% of students elect to study abroad, the highest participation rate in the country among master鈥檚-granting institutions. There are limitless options for overseas study including official Elon Centers Abroad in Shanghai, Dunedin, London, and Florence. Chances for working closely with faculty on research projects are also plentiful; 23% of students participate in faculty-mentored research.
Professional Outcomes: Results of a survey administered nine months after graduation found that 96% of the Class of 2023 had found employment, a graduate school, or an internship. Top employers of recent Elon graduates include Bloomberg, Deloitte, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Oracle, and Wells Fargo. Fourteen percent of recent grads attended prestigious grad schools, including Boston University, Columbia, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.
- Enrollment: 6,402
- Cost of Attendance: $62,514
- Median SAT: 1210
- Median ACT: 26
- Acceptance Rate: 67%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
Hofstra University
- Hempstead, NY
Academic Highlights: There are 175 programs for undergraduates spread across several colleges. The average undergraduate class size is 21, and the student-faculty ratio is a favorable 13-to-1. The great bulk of courses enroll between 10 and 29 students; 11% are single-digit enrollment courses, and only 2% of sections contain more than 50 students. Full-length study abroad opportunities are offered in locations that include Amsterdam, China, Florence, Rome, and Ireland.
Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting with their diplomas, 92% of recent grads had found employment or a graduate school destination; 77% were employed. Companies employing more than one hundred alums include Northwell Health, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, EY, and Wells Fargo. The average starting salary was $72,000. Recent grads have matriculated into a wide array of graduate and professional schools including every SUNY/CUNY institution as well as many elite universities like Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, NYU, and Princeton.
- Enrollment: 6,224
- Cost of Attendance: $76,220
- Median SAT: 1290
- Median ACT: 28
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
University of Iowa
- Iowa City, IA
Academic Highlights: 200+ undergraduate majors, minors, and certificate programs are available across eight colleges. The 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not suggestive of an intimate learning environment, yet the University of Iowa still manages to keep over half of its undergraduate sections at an enrollment of 19 or fewer students. Just 13% of sections enroll 50 or more undergrads. Increasing the number of undergraduate research opportunities available is part of the university鈥檚 strategic plan. At present, about one-third of UI undergrads conduct or assist research. In a given year, more than 1,000 University of Iowa students study abroad.
Professional Outcomes: 96% of recent grads found their first job or advanced degree program within six months of receiving their diploma. Companies that employ hundreds of alumni include John Deere, Collins Aerospace, Amazon, Deloitte, AbbVie, Microsoft, and Google. Five years after graduating, alumni report a salary increase of 55% and 95% are satisfied with their job. The median salary for recent grads was $50,000. 21% went directly into graduate school; 75% remained at the University of Iowa.
- Enrollment: 22,130
- Cost of Attendance: $28,596 (In-State); $50,559 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1220
- Median ACT: 25
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 73%
University of Oregon
- Eugene, OR
Academic Highlights: Over 300 degree programs are offered at UO. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, which leads to a mix of class sizes. The median class size is 20 students. 28% of a recent graduating class engaged in research, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program excels at connecting students to mentor professors on campus as well as external research opportunities. Over 500 students present at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Ducks study abroad in 60 countries, and roughly one-fifth of students do so at some point during their undergraduate years.
Professional Outcomes: Members of the Class of 2023 already had their next destination lined up at graduation with 85% already employed or entering graduate school. Nike, KPMG, Deloitte, Amazon, and Thermo Fisher Scientific employed recent grads. Hundreds of others occupy offices at Intel, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Adidas, and Salesforce. Of the 19% that pursued further education, 93% of the Class of 2023 remained at the University of Oregon.
- Enrollment: 19,963
- Cost of Attendance: $35,721 (In-State); $63,354 (Out-of-State)
- Median SAT: 1240
- Median ACT: 27
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 71%
Fordham University
- Bronx, NY
Academic Highlights: Fordham鈥檚 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 23 students. Some classes will be on the smaller side as 50% of sections contain nineteen or fewer students. Rarely will an undergrad end up in a classroom of more than forty students. A substantial 36% of the student body spends a semester abroad at one of the school鈥檚 125 programs in 50+ countries. The undergraduate research program has awarded 1.5 million dollars to students over the last decade and recently saw thirty-eight undergrads obtain coauthor status on professor-published work in a single year.
Professional Outcomes: Class of 2023 graduates found employment, graduate school, or other meaningful activities at an 89% clip within six months of receiving their degrees. Over half of this group landed employment and enjoyed an average salary of $68,375. Significant numbers of 2023 grads found homes at major companies including PwC (27), EY (24), JP Morgan Chase (16), Deloitte (14), KPMG (12), and Morgan Stanley (12). The greatest number of recent graduates pursuing an advanced degree landed at Fordham, Columbia, NYU, and St. John’s University.
- Enrollment: 10,307
- Cost of Attendance: $89,575
- Median SAT: 1400
- Median ACT: 32
- Acceptance Rate: 56%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 80%
We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Journalism to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:
