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Journalism at University of Houston

Houston, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,226/yr (5% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)

Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)

ROI 13.1x earnings multiple (5.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #53 of 178 Journalism programs Top 50%

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	$511K	$509K	$473K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.2x	13.1x	12.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.8x	5.7x	5.3x
Probability of Field Employment	53%	46%	31%
DegreeOutlook Score	39	39	34

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$38,844

Out-of-state: $88,764 (5.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$55,412

-43% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,750

6.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$49,505

37% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $36,226 at University of Houston come in 5% above the national median of $34,417 for Journalism programs.

The 13.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 64% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $18,750 debt-to-$36,226 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #53 out of 178 programs, University of Houston's Journalism offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $36,226 to $49,505 shows 37% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About University of Houston

A 70% admission rate makes University of Houston accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with 37,175 students enrolled in Houston, TX. With 41% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Houston →

Top Career Paths

Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr

Editors $75,260/yr

Writers and authors $72,270/yr

View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Journalism at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of Houston

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Houston's Journalism program score?

This program scores 39/100 — 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 →