Pennsylvania State University-World Campus: Journalism

Undergraduate certificate · CIP 09.04 · No credentials fully online · University Park, PA

Graduates of this program who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $42,179 one year after completing and $63,138 four years after. The median federal loan debt of graduates was $25,125. Nationally, graduates of undergraduate certificate programs in this field earned a median of $41,024 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
$42,179
39 graduates measured Verified data
Median earnings, 4 years
$63,138
Verified data
Median federal debt
$25,125
69 borrowers Verified data
Debt to first-year earnings
0.60x
median debt / median earnings Calculated estimate

This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completion$42,179$41,024
Median earnings 4 years after completion$63,138$55,137
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)$25,125$25,125 Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)$286
Graduates in the most recent year0169 across 71 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

OccupationMedian wage, all workersChange 2025 to 2035
Communications teachers, postsecondary$78,580+2.1%
Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys$47,340-7.6%
News analysts, reporters, and journalists$62,200-5.9%
Editors$77,920-1.1%
Writers and authors$76,910-0.3%
Photographers$44,660-0.7%
Film and video editors$75,420+3.7%
Proofreaders and copy markers$51,120-0.9%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Comparable programs with the highest early earnings

SchoolMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
PA · Public
$42,179$25,125

See all Journalism programs and national outcomes

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Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Journalism (Undergraduate certificate): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence