Top Journalism Colleges in USA: Courses, Eligibility, Fees, Scholarships and Jobs

Journalism is the practice of gathering information about events, issues and trends and distributing them as news to large audiences. There are various fields in this domain in which a student could show his/her expertise like reporting, editing, anchoring, producing, managing, etc. Journalism colleges in USA offer a 4 year undergraduate degree and a 2 year postgraduate degree. Masters in Journalism in USA costs around 30,000 USD per annum while the cost of bachelor's degree is approximately 40,000 USD per annum.

• The average salary of a graduate from journalism colleges in USA is around 54000 USD a year.  Students can expect an average salary increment of 12% every 16 months. 
• Jobs in media and communication occupations is projected to grow 4% from 2019 to 2029, and will result in about 46,200 new jobs. 
• The highest-paying areas for reporters and correspondents include the District of Columbia, New York, California, Arizona and New Jersey.

Best Journalism Colleges in USA

Some of the world’s top ranking journalism colleges (according to the QS Ranking 2022) are situated in the USA. The country is also considered as one of the popular study abroad destinations by many international students. 

Following table provides a list of best colleges for journalism in USA: 

Journalism Colleges in USA: Specializations and Degrees

A student willing to study in USA can choose which degree to study according to their educational qualifications:

• Undergraduate – B.A., B.Sc., JBA (Journalism Bachelor of Arts), JBS (Journalism Bachelor of Science).
• Postgraduate – M.A., M.Sc., MS, M.J. (Master of Journalism).
• Doctoral – PhD.

Following are the specializations offered in journalism colleges in USA:

Journalism Colleges in USA: Undergraduate Programs

Journalism appeals to students from a variety of backgrounds as it covers a wide-range of writing styles and issues. In the USA, 5.2% of bachelor's degree holders majored in journalism and communication. The Bachelor of Mass Communication and Journalism takes about 4 years, depending on the university.

A student wanting to pursue a bachelors program at journalism colleges in USA can apply refer to the following table: 

Journalism Colleges in USA: Eligibility for Bachelors

• Minimum 50% aggregate marks are required in the student’s 10+2 level. 
• Minimum ACT score of 22
• Proof of English proficiency with following minimum scores:
• TOEFL (PBT): 550–650 
• TOEFL (iBT): 79–100
• IELTS: 6–7

Journalism Colleges in USA: Documents Required for Bachelors 

• Academic transcripts of standards 10 and 12 from a recognized university.
• The certificates of IELTS and TOEFL exams as proof of knowledge of English language.
• A copy of the student’s passport.
• A statement of purpose stating his/her intention of coming to the USA.
• A letter of recommendation from the professors of the previous institution studied.
• Two essays about the candidate’s Academic and Personal Achievements.
• Proof of financial support.

Journalism Colleges in USA: Fees and Funding for Bachelors 

A student pursuing a bachelor's degree from journalism colleges in the USA will cost him/her around 30,000-60,000 USD a year, depending on the course structure and the university. Financial support is provided via the scholarships for international students in the USA. 

Journalism Colleges in USA: Graduate Programs

A masters degree in journalism can lead to a career as a reporter, correspondent or broadcast news analyst. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), as of May 2018, reporters and correspondents earned a median salary of 41,260 USD; the median salary for broadcast news analysts was 66,880 USD.

Some of the journalism colleges in USA offering masters degree are:

Journalism Colleges in USA: Eligibility for Masters

Masters in Journalism in USA takes about 2 years for a student to complete, depending on the course structure of a university.

• Undergraduate degree with minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (83% - 86%)
• Minimum GRE score required is: 
  • Quantitative Reasoning: 153
  • Verbal Reasoning: 150
  • Analytical Writing: 3.5
• Proof of English proficiency:
  • IELTS - 6.5
  • TOEFL (iBT) -90

Journalism Colleges in USA: Documents Required for Masters 

• Academic Transcripts of standards 10, 12, and a bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
• The certificates of IELTS and TOEFL exams for the proof of knowledge of the English language.
• A copy of the student’s passport.
• A statement of purpose stating his/her intention of coming to the USA.
• A letter of recommendation from the professors of the previous institution studied or from the senior of the place of work.
• A 750-word autobiography.
• A 1000 word statement of goals 
• Proof of financial support.

Fees and Funding for Masters in Journalism in USA

A student pursuing a master's degree from the best journalism colleges in USA will cost him/her about 20000-55000 USD a year, depending on the course structure and the university. International students can support themselves and their education financially by applying for scholarships.

Journalism Colleges in USA: Doctoral Program

In the USA, a Ph.D. can take as long as 5-6 years but students with a graduation degree in the same field are able to complete it in 3-4 years. Doctoral programs are available as full time and half time courses. Students can earn between 20000 USD to 50000 USD a year in their chosen field of research. 

The potential annual salary earnings of a student with a PhD in the USA can be 30,000 USD higher than students with a master's degree. 58.6% of communication PhDs had tenured faculty jobs after graduation, the second most successful discipline, whereas 43% of graduates began such jobs within 6 months of earning the PhD.

The following table provides a list of journalism colleges in USA offering PhD: 

The duration of a PhD course in journalism and mass communication is around 2-5 years, depending on the course and the university (i.e. full time or half time course).

Journalism Colleges in USA: Eligibility for PhD 

• Masters degree in journalism or English (honours) 
• GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (83% to 86%) at bachelors and masters level
• Proof of English proficiency with following minimum scores: 
  • IELTS: 6.5
  • TOEFL (iBT): 79 to 90.
• GRE test score

Journalism Colleges in USA: Documents Required for PhD 

• Academic transcripts of standards 10, 12 and bachelors degree from a recognized university.
• The certificates of IELTS and TOEFL exams for the proof of knowledge of English language.
• A copy of the student’s passport.
• Personal Statement.
• MA thesis or similar sustained writing.
• Proof of financial support.
• Letter of recommendation
• Updated CV

Journalism Colleges in USA: Fees and Funding for PhD 

The cost of a student pursuing a doctoral degree in journalism and mass communication in the USA is about 1000-20000 USD a year, depending on the course structure, university and the number of years of the course. Students can support themselves financially by applying for scholarships, research grants or teaching assistantships. 

Scholarships for Journalism Colleges in USA

The USA is one of the most expensive countries in the world to pursue higher education. However, students willing to study there have many opportunities to gain funding from government and private institutions.

You can apply for following scholarships while studying from journalism colleges in USA: 

Journalism Colleges in USA: Career Scope

Jobs for reporters and correspondents will decline by 12% from 2018-2028, while in the same time period, jobs for editors will decrease by 3%. Also, jobs for photographers will decrease by 6%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS).

• The digital medium will see a considerable growth with the decrease of the traditional mediums like, broadcast, print and publishing, etc.
• There will be a 5% growth in news publishing online and in websites.
• Pew Research Centre, which is an internet research company, states that 62% of adults receive news from social media and online websites.
• Aspiring journalists with new media skills and specialized knowledge in science, technology, economics, or politics are likely to more easily find employment.
• Opportunities will be more for freelancers, in smaller markets, and in the production of digital content for the Web.
• There are currently an estimated 44,700 journalists in the USA.

Read What after study in USA?

A person working in the Journalism and Mass Communication field inthe USA typically earns around54,800 USDper year, depending on the job role, position and years of experience. Following are some of the jobs available in USA for journalists:

Journalism is the research and dissemination of news to the public. It is continually evolving to meet the needs of its audience and is a great career for students with insight and curiosity. Journalism industry is responsible for disseminating news accurately, fairly, and quickly. 

International students who wish to study at journalism colleges in USA will need to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, have excellent writing skills, and an inquisitive nature.