Journalism at Central State University

Central State's journalism program ranks in the bottom quarter among Ohio schools, with graduates earning $28,306 initially—about $10,000 less than the state median and roughly $6,000 below the national figure. Even four years out, alumni reach only $32,043, still trailing what peers at other Ohio programs make right after graduation. The debt load of $32,125 exceeds first-year earnings, creating an uncomfortable financial squeeze for graduates entering an already challenging media job market.

The small sample size here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, a handful of outliers could be skewing these numbers in either direction. Still, the pattern is troubling enough to warrant serious consideration. Nearly half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting many families are already stretching financially—making the modest post-graduation earnings particularly concerning.

For an anxious parent, the math is straightforward: you're looking at debt that exceeds what your child will likely earn in their first year, in a field where starting salaries at other Ohio schools run $10,000 higher. Unless your student has compelling reasons to choose Central State specifically—strong faculty relationships, scholarship opportunities that dramatically reduce debt, or personal circumstances that make this location essential—Ohio offers multiple journalism programs with significantly better earnings outcomes at similar or lower debt levels.