Journalism at California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
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)
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)
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,000
7.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,697
85% growth from Year 1
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
Compare & Explore
Journalism at Other Schools
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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 →