Home Schools CUNY Brooklyn College Journalism
Communications · Journalism Rank #69 of 178

Journalismat CUNY Brooklyn College

Graduates earn $23,120/yr in their first year — about 33.0% below the national Journalism average. Base-case 10-year earnings $629K; scenarios range from $554K to $651K depending on AI disruption.

Brooklyn, NY Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
36 AT RISK
37
Optimistic
34
Pessimistic
Earnings
$23,120
1-year post-graduation
ROI
18.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$629K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at CUNY Brooklyn College

While the low earnings figures seem jarring for a New York City school, they reflect the hyper-competitive media landscape you'll be entering. You won't just be competing with your classmates, but with graduates from elite private universities like NYU and Columbia who are also vying for entry-level roles at top-tier outlets. Many early-career journalism jobs in NYC are actually low-paid fellowships, contract gigs, or roles at smaller, non-profit, or local publications that don't command high salaries. The CUNY system's mission is access, and its graduates often build careers from the ground up without the benefit of deep-pocketed alumni networks.

Your key to outperforming these numbers is aggressive, hands-on experience. Don't wait for class projects; start freelancing for local Brooklyn publications now to build a professional portfolio that will make you stand out.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$554K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple18.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$629K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple21.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$651K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple21.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CUNY Brooklyn College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Journalism graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Communications teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$77,800/yr
Moderate
2
Editors
+0.6% 10-yr growth · 9,800 openings/yr
$75,260/yr
High
3
Writers and authors
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 13,400 openings/yr
$72,270/yr
Very High
4
Film and video editors
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 3,600 openings/yr
$70,980/yr
High
5
News analysts, reporters, and journalists
-3.9% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$60,280/yr
High
6
Proofreaders and copy markers
-0.6% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$49,210/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Journalism

How CUNY Brooklyn College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
George Washington University
DC · Private nonprofit
44
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.1x
ROI
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
35
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Northwestern University
IL · Private nonprofit
39
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.7x
ROI
Top score
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
56
DW Score
$49K
1-yr earn
14.3x
ROI
University of Maryland-College Park
MD · Public
55
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
14.3x
ROI
Also at CUNY Brooklyn College

Other top programs at CUNY Brooklyn College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at CUNY Brooklyn College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Journalism at CUNY Brooklyn College

What does a 36/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Journalism at CUNY Brooklyn College?

At 36/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Journalism programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study Journalism at CUNY Brooklyn College?

The 64% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is CUNY Brooklyn College a good choice for Journalism despite lower starting pay?

Starting salary is one data point. If CUNY Brooklyn College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.

What do students actually pay for Journalism at CUNY Brooklyn College?

The 61% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $29,808. At a net cost of $11,772, the earnings multiple improves substantially.