Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $32,807 track close to the $34,417 national median for Journalism programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The financial case is thin at 2.7x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
Some AI exposure exists in Journalism's typical career paths, with 64% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 1% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $26,000 represents roughly 10 months of the $32,807 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #161 of 178 Journalism programs, Mercer University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.