Journalism at San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
29
Optimistic
28
Base Case
26
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,269/yr (-12% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market
Large (50,500 openings/yr)
ROI
12.8x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)
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 | $415K | $426K | $416K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 12.5x | 12.8x | 12.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.1x | 5.3x | 5.2x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 53% | 46% | 31% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 29 | 28 | 26 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$33,160
Out-of-state: $80,680 (5.3x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,998
5.9 months of Year 1 earnings
About San Diego State University
Admission to San Diego State University is competitive, with 34% of applicants accepted, serving a student body of 33,654 in San Diego, CA.
See all programs and financial aid at San Diego State University →Top Career Paths
Communications teachers, postsecondary
$77,800/yr
Editors
$75,260/yr
Writers and authors
$72,270/yr
Compare & Explore
Journalism at Other Schools
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does San Diego State University's Journalism program score?
This program scores 28/100 — on the lower end for Journalism. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Journalism to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Journalism careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 64% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →