Journalism at Middle Tennessee State University

Middle Tennessee State's journalism program puts graduates about $10,000 behind their Tennessee peers right out of the gate—earning $30,659 versus a state median of $32,082. That's below the state's 50th percentile, meaning at least half of Tennessee's 13 journalism programs deliver better first-year outcomes. Compared nationally, graduates here lag even further behind, placing in just the 27th percentile against all journalism programs nationwide. When University of Tennessee-Knoxville and University of Memphis graduates are earning roughly $32,000, MTSU's lower starting point matters for early career momentum.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $20,500, graduates here borrow about $2,300 less than the Tennessee median and nearly $4,000 less than the national average. That lower debt load keeps the burden manageable in the short term, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67—meaning total debt equals about eight months of income. However, this advantage doesn't fully offset the earnings gap, especially as journalism salaries tend to grow slowly in the early years.

For families banking on journalism as a career path, this program represents a cost-conscious entry point into a notoriously low-paying field, but it doesn't provide the competitive earnings advantage that some Tennessee alternatives offer. If journalism is the goal, comparing job placement rates and internship networks across state schools would be essential—because in this field, connections often matter as much as the credential itself.