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Desk reporter education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a desk reporter. Desk reporters usually study journalism, communication, or political science. 75% of desk reporters hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 112 real desk reporter resumes to see exactly what desk reporter education sections show.
The most common colleges for desk reporters are the Brigham Young University and the Brigham Young University.
There are also many online desk reporter courses to help get the education required to be a desk reporter.
What education do you need to become a desk reporter?
What degree do you need to be a desk reporter?
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a desk reporter?
- Journalism, 42%
- Communication, 14%
- Political Science, 10%
- History, 4%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for desk reporters
| Desk reporter common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Brigham Young University | 11.76% |
| Texas A&M University | 11.76% |
| West Virginia University | 5.88% |
| Miami Dade College | 5.88% |
| University of Oklahoma | 5.88% |
Best majors for desk reporters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journalism | 41.7% |
| 2 | Communication | 13.9% |
| 3 | Political Science | 9.7% |
| 4 | History | 4.2% |
| 5 | English | 4.2% |
Best colleges for desk reporters
The best colleges for desk reporters are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University.
A desk reporter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for desk reporters. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become desk reporters.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for desk reporters
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Top 10 most affordable universities for desk reporters
The most affordable schools for desk reporters are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for desk reporters are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for desk reporters.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
8. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for desk reporters
The hardest universities for desk reporters to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for desk reporters are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for desk reporters based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for desk reporters
The easiest schools for desk reporters to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, university of the incarnate word, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a desk reporter without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for desk reporters.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
8. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
9. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average desk reporter salary by education level
| Desk reporter education level | Desk reporter salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $79,476 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $75,447 |
Desk reporter education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025