Journalism: San Francisco State University vs University of Maryland-College Park

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
In-State
21.7x
$29,696 tuition
13.5x
$46,020 tuition
Out-of-State
8.3x
$77,216 tuition
3.9x
$161,224 tuition
$644,004 10-yr earnings · Public
$621,815 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

San Francisco State University University of Maryland-College Park
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.7x 13.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 3.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,696 $46,020
Year 1 Earnings $31,788 $46,893
10-Year Earnings $644K $622K
Median Debt $15,000 $21,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.7 months 5.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 44/100 48/100
Acceptance Rate 96.2% 44.8%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (64% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Journalism graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Journalism graduates.

San Francisco State University University of Maryland-College Park
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,696 $46,020
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $77,216 $161,224
10-Year Projected Earnings $644K $622K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.7x 13.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 3.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +107% +50%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Journalism (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

San Francisco State University University of Maryland-College Park
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $669K $644K $564K $643K $622K $549K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 22.5x 21.7x 19.0x 14.0x 13.5x 11.9x
DegreeWorth Score 45 44 39 50 48 40

For the full AI analysis of Journalism career paths, see the San Francisco State University or University of Maryland-College Park program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Journalism graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$16,324
San Francisco State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$15,105/yr
University of Maryland-College Park grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
21.7x / 13.5x
Out-of-state: 8.3x / 3.9x

Career Paths

Journalism graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800 2,700 +2.1% 43%
Editors $75,260 9,800 +0.6% 65%
Writers and authors $72,270 13,400 +3.6% 89%
Film and video editors $70,980 3,600 +4.0% 53%
News analysts, reporters, and journalists $60,280 4,100 -3.9% 65%
Proofreaders and copy markers $49,210 1,900 -0.6% 98%
Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys $45,680 2,300 -5.5% 65%
Photographers $42,520 12,700 +1.8% 39%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

More Journalism Comparisons

Journalism Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Journalism: San Francisco State University or University of Maryland-College Park?
San Francisco State University scores 44/100 while University of Maryland-College Park scores 48/100. San Francisco State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Journalism?
San Francisco State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 21.7x vs University of Maryland-College Park's 13.5x. That means San Francisco State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do San Francisco State University and University of Maryland-College Park compare on Journalism earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $31,788 at San Francisco State University vs $46,893 at University of Maryland-College Park. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $644,004 vs $621,815 — a difference of $22,189.
How much does Journalism cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,696 at San Francisco State University and $46,020 at University of Maryland-College Park. Median debt at graduation is $15,000 vs $21,500. Both programs lead to the same Journalism career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.