Post job
Average journalism and mass communications major salary
Updated September 14, 2023
$53,372

What is the average journalism and mass communications major salary in the US?

The national average salary for a journalism and mass communications major in the U.S. is $53,372 annually or $25.66 hourly.There is a huge gap between the top 10 percent earners and the bottom 10 percent earners -- about $71,000. The top 10 percent earn over $99,000, while the bottom 10 percent make less than $28,000 annually.Employers that have the highest concentration of job opportunities for journalism and mass communications majors are technology companies and professional companies.Some of the states with the best salaries for journalism and mass communications major graduates are New Jersey,New York, Washington, Connecticut, and California.
Best paying cities
$66,261
$63,764
$61,555

Average journalism and mass communications salary by company

There is good job security for journalism and mass communications major graduates. However, some industries offer better pay and benefit packages than others.Most jobs for journalism and mass communications majors are in technology companies and technology companies.McKinsey & Company Inc and HP are the best paying companies for journalism and mass communications major graduates.In addition, companies like Cornerstone OnDemand and The Buffalo News report highly competitive salaries for journalism and mass communications majors.

Average journalism and mass communications major salary by city

Across America, journalism and mass communications major graduates make on average $53,372 annually or $25.66 hourly.Washington, DC reports the highest salaries for journalism and mass communications major graduates at $66,261 per year.Not only that, Washington, DC also has an average entry-level salary of $34,000.Other top cities with competitive salaries are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, New York, NY, Hartford, CT, Arlington, VA, and Boston, MA.New Jersey, New York, Washington, Connecticut, and California are the highest paying states.Kansas, South Carolina, Florida, Nebraska, and Louisiana have the lowest reported salaries for journalism and mass communications major graduates.

Average salary by location

RankCityAverage journalism and mass communications salarySalary range
1Washington, DC
$66,261
$34k
$93k
2San Francisco, CA
$63,764
$34k
$93k
3Seattle, WA
$61,555
$34k
$93k
4New York, NY
$61,466
$34k
$93k
5Hartford, CT
$58,951
$34k
$93k
6Arlington, VA
$58,754
$34k
$93k
7Boston, MA
$57,718
$34k
$93k
8Baltimore, MD
$56,168
$34k
$93k
9Providence, RI
$54,999
$34k
$93k
10Philadelphia, PA
$53,780
$34k
$93k
11Las Vegas, NV
$53,679
$34k
$93k
12Detroit, MI
$53,542
$34k
$93k
13Albany, OR
$52,908
$34k
$93k
14Chicago, IL
$52,742
$34k
$93k
15Minneapolis, MN
$51,454
$34k
$93k
16Raleigh, NC
$51,110
$34k
$93k
17Columbus, OH
$50,903
$34k
$93k
18Richmond, KY
$50,538
$34k
$93k
19Portland, ME
$50,270
$34k
$93k
20Phoenix, AZ
$49,785
$34k
$93k

Average journalism and mass communications major salary by state

The darker areas on the map show where journalism and mass communications majors earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average salary

Journalism and mass communications major average salary by state

StateAverage journalism and mass communications major salaryAverage hourly rate
New Jersey$63,223$30.40
New York$61,293$29.47
Washington$61,189$29.42
Connecticut$59,351$28.53
California$58,971$28.35
Massachusetts$57,787$27.78
Virginia$57,407$27.60
New Hampshire$57,129$27.47
Delaware$56,135$26.99
Maryland$56,038$26.94
Rhode Island$55,130$26.50
Nevada$54,210$26.06
North Dakota$53,588$25.76
Michigan$53,447$25.70
Pennsylvania$53,412$25.68
Vermont$53,325$25.64
Oregon$52,674$25.32
Illinois$52,640$25.31
Minnesota$51,374$24.70
Ohio$51,342$24.68
West Virginia$50,669$24.36
Idaho$50,568$24.31
Kentucky$50,304$24.18
North Carolina$50,222$24.15
Maine$49,881$23.98
Arizona$49,771$23.93
New Mexico$49,490$23.79
Alaska$48,644$23.39
Colorado$48,571$23.35
Wisconsin$48,353$23.25
Tennessee$47,979$23.07
Arkansas$47,953$23.05
Georgia$47,786$22.97
Utah$47,057$22.62
Hawaii$46,369$22.29
Wyoming$46,293$22.26
Texas$46,169$22.20
Indiana$45,757$22.00
Oklahoma$45,307$21.78
Iowa$44,882$21.58
Missouri$44,752$21.52
Montana$44,468$21.38
South Dakota$44,310$21.30
Alabama$43,253$20.79
Kansas$43,068$20.71
South Carolina$42,887$20.62
Florida$42,816$20.58
Nebraska$42,778$20.57
Louisiana$42,680$20.52
Mississippi$39,863$19.16

Average journalism and mass communications major salary by industry

The type of industry that a journalism and mass communications major graduate works in can influence their earning potential.By looking at our data, we can see that internet companies, health care companies, and government companies pay journalism and mass communications major graduates well.internet companies pay journalism and mass communications major graduates an average salary of $98,819, health care companies pay $83,003, and government companies come in at $61,138.The types of companies that pay journalism and mass communications majors the least are in the retail industry, where the average annual salary is $31,626.

Average salary by industry

RankIndustryAverage journalism and mass communications major salaryRange
1
Internet
$98,819
$22k
$128k
2
Health Care
$83,003
$22k
$128k
3
Government
$61,138
$22k
$128k
4
Manufacturing
$54,337
$22k
$128k
5
Hospitality
$54,177
$22k
$128k
6
Media
$45,529
$22k
$128k
7
Education
$44,719
$22k
$128k
8
Non Profits
$44,410
$22k
$128k
9
Professional
$42,369
$22k
$128k
10
Retail
$31,626
$22k
$128k

Salary history for journalism and mass communications major graduates

This data shows the national average salary between 2011-2020 among Journalism And Mass Communications major graduates.

Salaries for related majors

RankMajorAverage salaryRange
1Advertising
$62,238
$30k
$88k
2Speech Communication And Rhetoric
$61,295
$30k
$88k
3Publishing
$55,507
$30k
$88k
4Journalism
$53,479
$30k
$88k
5Public Relations
$50,648
$30k
$88k
6Digital Media
$48,393
$30k
$88k
7Communication
$45,257
$30k
$88k