Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $31,753 track close to the $34,417 national median for Journalism programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.9x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
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 7% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $22,625 represents roughly 9 months of the $31,753 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #123 of 178 Journalism programs, Northern Illinois University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $31,753 to $47,283 over five years — a 49% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.