Only about half of journalism majors in the U.S. graduate from programs that pass a debt-to-earnings measure.

Key points:

  • Education can be an investment in a student’s future, but not all educational investments are worthwhile.
  • This analysis aims to help students avoid making malinvestments by documenting which college programs across the U.S. leave students with unaffordable student loan debt using a debt-to-earnings test called Gainful Employment Equivalent.
  • Of the 142 journalism programs with data, 58 (41%) pass, 65 (46%) are on probation, and 19 (13%) fail.
  • Passing programs accounted for 52% of all journalism graduates, programs on probation accounted for 40%, and failing programs for 8%.
  • Almost half of journalism graduates attend a program that does not pass the debt-to-earnings test.