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Journalism at Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY · Public · Bachelor's Degree
32 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
32
Optimistic
32
Base Case
27
Pessimistic
Earnings $35,050/yr (2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)
ROI 10.4x earnings multiple (4.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #103 of 178 Journalism programs

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 $472K $475K $449K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.3x 10.4x 9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.4x 4.4x 4.2x
Probability of Field Employment 53% 46% 31%
DegreeOutlook Score 32 32 27

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$45,744
Out-of-state: $108,000 (4.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$43,664
5% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,250
8.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$43,572
24% growth from Year 1

About Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University accepts 97% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 12,267 in Bowling Green, KY.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Kentucky University →

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

Compare this program → View all 178 schools offering Journalism →

Journalism at Other Schools

George Washington University ($52,015) Northeastern University ($51,855) Northwestern University ($50,426) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($48,637) University of Maryland-College Park ($46,893) Brigham Young University ($46,652) Lehigh University ($45,256) University of Southern California ($44,651)

Other Majors at Western Kentucky University

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($74,205) Mechanical Engineering ($70,722) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($68,294) Management Information Systems and Services ($64,252) Construction Engineering Technologies ($63,013) Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($60,675) Civil Engineering ($60,086) Economics ($53,857)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Journalism at Western Kentucky University?
A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Journalism. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Journalism careers?
With 64% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $449,446 in decade earnings vs $471,658 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →