Journalism at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
40 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
41
Optimistic
40
Base Case
37
Pessimistic
Earnings $30,644/yr (-11% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)
ROI 18.9x earnings multiple (7.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #42 of 178 Journalism programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Journalism graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $589K $576K $518K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.4x 18.9x 17.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.6x 7.4x 6.6x
Probability of Field Employment 53% 46% 31%
DegreeOutlook Score 41 40 37

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,408
Out-of-state: $77,928 (7.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$42,048
-38% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,000
7.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,697
85% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $30,644/yr, Journalism graduates from California State University-Sacramento land near the $34,417 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 18.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 64% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $20,000 debt-to-$30,644 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #42 out of 178 programs, California State University-Sacramento's Journalism program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $30,644 to $56,697 over five years (85% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Sacramento

With 94% of applicants admitted, California State University-Sacramento prioritizes broad access, with 27,867 students enrolled in Sacramento, CA. 49% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Sacramento →

Top Career Paths

Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr
Editors $75,260/yr
Writers and authors $72,270/yr
View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Journalism at Other Schools

Other Majors at California State University-Sacramento

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Sacramento's Journalism program score?
This program scores 40/100 — on the lower end for Journalism. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Journalism to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Journalism careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 64% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Sacramento rank so high for Journalism?
The #42 ranking out of 178 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →