Journalism at Ohio University-Eastern Campus

Ohio University-Eastern's journalism program achieves something noteworthy for a field notorious for low starting salaries: graduates earn more than three-quarters of journalism alumni nationwide, starting at $38,246 and climbing to $51,321 by year four. That 34% earnings growth is exceptional for journalism, where many graduates see their income plateau early. Among Ohio's 27 journalism programs, this ranks right at the median—though it's worth noting that several other Ohio University campuses report identical figures, suggesting a shared curriculum strength across the system.

The debt picture is manageable at $24,208, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 that most journalism graduates would envy. This means your child would owe roughly eight months of first-year salary, not the year-plus burden common at many journalism schools. The trajectory matters here: by year four, when many journalism careers stabilize, that debt represents less than half of annual earnings.

The low Pell percentage (just 9%) suggests this campus serves a relatively affluent student body, which may affect the campus culture and networking opportunities. For families concerned about journalism's financial viability, this program demonstrates that strong earnings growth is possible—graduates aren't stuck at entry-level wages indefinitely. If your child is committed to journalism despite the field's economic challenges, this represents one of the better launching pads available.