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Journalism at Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $34,119/yr (-1% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)

Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)

ROI 14.4x earnings multiple (4.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #43 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	$543K	$536K	$491K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.6x	14.4x	13.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.9x	4.8x	4.4x
Probability of Field Employment	53%	46%	31%
DegreeOutlook Score	40	40	35

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,144

Out-of-state: $111,412 (4.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$74,720

-101% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,151

6.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$52,942

55% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $34,119/yr, roughly in line with the $34,417 national median for Journalism. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 14.4x 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 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $18,151 debt-to-$34,119 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #43 out of 178 programs, Western Washington University's Journalism program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $34,119 to $52,942 over five years (55% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Western Washington University

Western Washington University accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 13,574 students in Bellingham, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Washington University →

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Western Washington University'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 Western Washington University rank so high for Journalism?

The #43 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 →