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Journalism at University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $30,216/yr (-12% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)

Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)

ROI 11.6x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)

Ranked #88 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	$565K	$555K	$504K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.8x	11.6x	10.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.4x	5.3x	4.8x
Probability of Field Employment	53%	46%	31%
DegreeOutlook Score	33	33	30

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$48,040

Out-of-state: $104,816 (5.3x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$73,828

-54% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$22,250

8.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$53,764

78% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $30,216/yr, Journalism graduates from University of Northern Colorado land near the $34,417 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 11.6x 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 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $22,250 debt-to-$30,216 income ratio translates to about 9 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #88 out of 178 programs, University of Northern Colorado's Journalism offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $30,216 to $53,764 over five years (78% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Northern Colorado

With 86% of applicants admitted, University of Northern Colorado prioritizes broad access, serving 5,693 students in Greeley, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Northern Colorado →

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Northern Colorado's Journalism program score?

This program scores 33/100 — 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 →