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Journalism at Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
23 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
23
Optimistic
23
Base Case
19
Pessimistic
Earnings $31,369/yr (-9% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)
ROI 4.0x earnings multiple
Ranked #166 of 178 Journalism programs

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 $527K $522K $482K
Earnings Multiple 4.1x 4.0x 3.7x
Probability of Field Employment 53% 46% 31%
DegreeOutlook Score 23 23 19

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$130,080
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$107,152
18% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,525
9.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$49,778
59% growth from Year 1

About Columbia College Chicago

A 91% acceptance rate means Columbia College Chicago is accessible to most applicants, serving 6,294 students in Chicago, IL. With 43% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at Columbia College Chicago →

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

Compare this program → View all 178 schools offering Journalism →

Journalism at Other Schools

George Washington University ($52,015) Northeastern University ($51,855) Northwestern University ($50,426) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($48,637) University of Maryland-College Park ($46,893) Brigham Young University ($46,652) Lehigh University ($45,256) University of Southern California ($44,651)

Other Majors at Columbia College Chicago

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($39,794) Marketing ($36,386) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($34,798) American Sign Language ($33,775) Design and Applied Arts ($29,630) Graphic Communications ($26,309) Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies ($25,060) Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($24,191)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Journalism at Columbia College Chicago?
A score of 23/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Journalism. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Journalism careers?
With 64% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $481,722 in decade earnings vs $526,924 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →