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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Peer schools offering Journalism
How CUNY Brooklyn College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CUNY Brooklyn College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CUNY Brooklyn College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
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.