Location: Superior, WI•In-State Tuition: $8,487•Out-of-State Tuition: $16,400•Admission Rate: 94%•Avg SAT: 1050
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$38,700
Est. from WI median (3 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,208
Est. from national median (129 programs)

Analysis

Similar journalism programs in Wisconsin suggest first-year earnings around $38,700—actually above the national median for this major and roughly matching what graduates from Marquette and UW-Madison report. With estimated debt of $24,200, this program appears to track near national norms for journalism degrees, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That's manageable territory, where monthly loan payments would consume about 7-8% of gross income under standard repayment.

The challenge here is that these figures are drawn from peer programs across Wisconsin, not UW-Superior's actual graduate outcomes. Small cohort sizes mean the Department of Education can't publish this school's specific results. For context, journalism nationally is a lower-earning major—the median sits at $34,515—so Wisconsin programs generally outperform the national average. Whether UW-Superior's graduates match that state pattern or fall below it remains unclear.

Given the uncertainty, focus on what you can verify: the program's cost structure, internship opportunities, and where recent graduates actually landed jobs. The estimated numbers suggest reasonable economics for a journalism degree, but without confirmation that UW-Superior's specific outcomes align with state peers, you're making an investment decision with incomplete information about this particular program's track record.

Where University of Wisconsin-Superior Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all journalism bachelors's programs nationally

University of Wisconsin-Superior (estimated ±10%)Other journalism programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Journalism bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (8 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
University of Wisconsin-SuperiorSuperior$8,487$38,700*—$24,208*—
University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison$11,205$40,942*$56,265$23,250*0.57
Marquette UniversityMilwaukee$48,700$38,700*$51,254$26,000*0.67
University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater$8,250$36,139*$43,681$26,000*0.72
National Median—$34,515*—$24,250*0.70
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with journalism graduates

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

$75,260/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Writers and Authors

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

$72,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.

$72,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Film and Video Editors

Edit moving images on film, video, or other media. May work with a producer or director to organize images for final production. May edit or synchronize soundtracks with images.

$70,570/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

$60,280/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Photographers

Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.

$42,520/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys

Speak or read from scripted materials, such as news reports or commercial messages, on radio, television, or other communications media. May play and queue music, announce artist or title of performance, identify station, or interview guests.

Jobs growth:

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At University of Wisconsin-Superior, approximately 30% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in WI. Actual outcomes may vary.