Journalism at University of Nebraska at Kearney

With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these numbers come with uncertainty, but University of Nebraska at Kearney's journalism program sits squarely in the middle of both state and national rankings. First-year earnings of $36,703 beat the national median by about $2,200 and match Nebraska's median exactly—ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. The debt load of $22,602 is slightly better than typical for journalism programs, translating to a manageable 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that's below the concerning 1.0 threshold.

The puzzling piece is the slight earnings decline by year four, dropping to $35,440. This could reflect career path changes, sample noise from the small cohort, or the reality that early journalism salaries don't always climb quickly. Still, even with that dip, graduates remain above the national median and avoid the severe debt burdens that plague many liberal arts degrees.

For Nebraska families, this represents a middle-of-the-road option—significantly cheaper than Creighton's program (though Creighton grads earn $7,400 more initially) and earning more than UNL grads despite lower admission selectivity. If your student is committed to journalism and wants to stay in-state without taking on excessive debt, UNK delivers reasonable outcomes. Just understand you're looking at mid-$30,000s earning potential, not six-figure career launches.