Journalism at Georgia State University

Georgia State's journalism program ranks in the bottom fifth nationally for earnings, with first-year graduates earning just $28,416 compared to the national median of $34,515. While the program sits at the 40th percentile within Georgia—essentially middle-of-the-pack for the state—it still trails stronger in-state options like Georgia College ($38,603) and UGA ($36,636) by significant margins.

The financial picture improves somewhat over time, with earnings jumping 52% to $43,196 by year four, but the starting salary creates real challenges. At nearly $27,000 in debt with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95, new graduates will face tight budgets in their crucial early career years. The program does keep debt relatively low compared to national journalism programs (5th percentile), which helps prevent the situation from being worse.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether the eventual earnings growth justifies the difficult first few years. Georgia State serves a diverse student body (50% receive Pell grants) and offers the advantages of Atlanta's media market, but families should honestly assess whether their student can manage on $28,000 initially while paying down loans. Stronger journalism programs exist within Georgia's public university system for similar costs.