Journalism at Washington State University
Pullman, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
33
Optimistic
33
Base Case
28
Pessimistic
Earnings
$36,273/yr (5% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market
Large (50,500 openings/yr)
ROI
8.8x earnings multiple (3.9x 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 | $452K | $457K | $438K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 8.7x | 8.8x | 8.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.9x | 3.9x | 3.8x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 53% | 46% | 31% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 33 | 33 | 28 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$51,988
Out-of-state: $116,292 (3.9x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,625
6.8 months of Year 1 earnings
About Washington State University
A 85% acceptance rate means Washington State University is accessible to most applicants, serving a student body of 21,583 in Pullman, WA.
See all programs and financial aid at Washington 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 Washington State University'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 →