Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

General Journalism

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

19 Ranked Colleges
994 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 12,336 people earned their degree in general journalism, making the major the 58th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 1,571 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 994 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer a degree in general journalism. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general journalism programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general journalism program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism (Income $48-$75k) in California

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 113 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Fresno State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,549 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Fresno State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Fresno State

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 101 students in 2019-2020.

CSULB also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $10,807 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Journalism at CSULB

#18 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #3 spot on the list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUDH, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $6,907 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at CSUDH

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 134 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $10,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full CSUN General Journalism Report

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #5 spot on the list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $19,407 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo General Journalism Report

#6

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#6 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 133 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,730 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Diego State University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full SDSU General Journalism Report

#7

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

University of Southern California ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,050 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Southern California.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full USC General Journalism Report

#15 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Sacramento is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $11,413 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at Sac State

#9

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#10 in overall quality

San Francisco State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Francisco State University is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 54 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,661 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SFSU.

Full SFSU General Journalism Report

#8 in overall quality

California State University - Chico ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $16,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Chico State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Chico State General Journalism Report

#11

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#7 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,397 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at San Jose State

#12

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California
#19 in overall quality

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Arcata, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Humboldt State University, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $15,723 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Journalism at Humboldt State University

#13

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California
#5 in overall quality

Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. PLNU is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

PLNU also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Point Loma Nazarene University is $28,716 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full PLNU General Journalism Report

#14

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $23,255 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California Baptist University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at Cal Baptist

#17 in overall quality

The University of Arizona Global Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

UAGC also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $22,687 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UAGC.

Read more about General Journalism at UAGC

#16

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California
#4 in overall quality

Pepperdine University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Malibu, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pepperdine, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $31,918 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Pepperdine University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Pepperdine University

#17

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#12 in overall quality

Biola University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Biola University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 27 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Biola also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Biola University is $29,212 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Biola University

#18

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. This medium-sized school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount University is $34,284 for california bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Loyola Marymount

#19

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#20 in overall quality

Academy of Art University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Academy of Art University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $38,617 for California Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Academy of Art University General Journalism Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jfurrer.

Featured Communications / Public Relations Schools

Find Schools Near You