Journalism at Youngstown State University

A $24,000 debt load for first-year earnings around $38,000 places this journalism degree squarely at Ohio's median for the field—which means graduates would face roughly eight months of pretax income in student loans. Based on comparable programs across the state, that's a manageable if not particularly comfortable debt picture for a notoriously modest-paying profession.

The estimated earnings here match both the state median and the 75th percentile nationally for journalism graduates, suggesting this program performs on par with better outcomes elsewhere. That's meaningful in a field where the national median sits at just $34,500. However, these figures come from aggregating outcomes across 12 Ohio journalism programs, not from tracking Youngstown State graduates specifically. The actual career trajectory for this school's alumni could differ based on factors like regional job markets, alumni networks, and internship quality—variables the estimation can't capture.

For a student truly committed to journalism, this program appears neither a standout investment nor a clear warning sign. The debt burden won't be crushing, but your child should enter with realistic expectations: journalism salaries start low and climb slowly. If they're borrowing the estimated amount or less and have career flexibility to pursue adjacent fields like corporate communications or digital marketing if needed, the financial risk is contained.