Those considering an affordable online journalism degree are preparing themselves for work with internet news sites, digital media journalism, and the next medium after that. Career growth is generally good for most sectors. Public relations specialists may see a 9 percent increase in the job market, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts may see a 10 percent decline in job growth in the coming years. Students have unique options through some schools to receive degrees in bilingual journalism, preparing them for international correspondence, and other global journalism-related opportunities. Luckily, graduates of the best online journalism master’s will have critical thinking skills, strategies, and tools to find, process, and communicate information. With the traditional mediums of journalism coming to a decline, a master’s degree in journalism is competitively essential to earn the job you want, and a high-end salary supportive to your lifestyle.
Through a survey of 57 online master’s in journalism online degrees from 44 regionally accredited colleges, GetEducated has formulated this “Best Buy” list. This list reveals the most affordable online journalism degree programs in the United States, providing links to the highest caliber education for a community college price. Become an informed consumer and explore fully researched financial options before selecting the program best suited to academic and professional goals.
Average Cost (In-state): ~$28,000
Least Expensive: Missouri State University ~ $9,537.00
Most Expensive: New York University ~ $78,756.00
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest master’s in journalism online. The affordable online journalism degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2019 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Affordable Online Journalism Degree Programs
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Missouri State University | (MO) | $9,537.00 | All Students |
2 | Marshall University | (WV) | $12,555.00 | All Students |
3 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | (AR) | $12,639.00 $10,560.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
4 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | (AR) | $13,788.00 $11,520.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
5 | University of South Florida | (FL) | $14,047.44 $28,756.86 | In-State Out-of-State |
6 | University of North Alabama | (AL) | $14,400.00 | All Students |
7 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | (NE) | $14,715.00 $25,353.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
8 | Stephen F. Austin State University | (TX) | $14,930.00 $19,250.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
9 | University of Kansas | (KS) | $15,000.00 | All Students |
10 | Ball State University | (IN) | $16,584.00 $24,108.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
11 | South Dakota State University | (SD) | $16,768.80 | All Students |
12 | Kansas State University | (KS) | $17,976.00 | All Students |
13 | Murray State University | (KY) | $18,414.00 | All Students |
14 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | (MN) | $18,900.00 $12,600.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
15 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | (PA) | $18,954.00 | All Students |
16 | Azusa Pacific University | (CA) | $19,580.00 | All Students |
17 | University of Arkansas at Monticello | (AR) | $20,270.40 $32,030.40 | In-State Out-of-State |
18 | New England College | (NH) | $20,376.00 | All Students |
19 |  Liberty University | (VA) | $21,236.00 $10,000.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
20 | University of Memphis | (TN) | $21,351.00 | All Students |
21 | Kent State University | (OH) | $22,011.00 | All Students |
22 |  Southern New Hampshire University | (NH) | $22,722.00 $17,070.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
23 | Saint Leo University | (FL) | $23,045.00 | All Students |
24 | University of New Orleans | (LA) | $23,070.00 $34,495.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
25 | The University of Texas at El Paso | (TX) | $23,520.00 $27,600.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
26 | Regent University | (VA) | $23,650.00 | All Students |
27 | Lindenwood University | (MO) | $23,880.00 | All Students |
28 | Wilkes University | (PA) | $24,130.00 | All Students |
29 | Asbury University | (KY) | $25,140.00 | All Students |
30 | National University (School Merged) Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing 14 | (CA) | $25,957.00 | All Students |
31 | Albertus Magnus College | (CT) | $27,466.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bay Path University | (MA) | $28,860.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $29,340.00 | All Students | |
 Johns Hopkins University | (MD) | $29,872.00 | All Students | |
Southern New Hampshire University | (NH) | $30,246.00 $22,710.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Arcadia University | (PA) | $30,585.00 | All Students | |
Western New England University | (MA) | $31,344.00 | All Students | |
University of Missouri-Columbia | (MO) | $31,403.01 | All Students | |
University of Denver | (CO) | $34,416.00 | All Students | |
National University (School Merged) Master of Fine Arts in Professional Screenwriting 14 | (CA) | $34,907.50 | All Students | |
Mount Saint Mary's University | (CA) | $36,697.00 | All Students | |
Wilkes University | (PA) | $38,298.00 | All Students | |
University of Georgia | (GA) | $38,409.00 | All Students | |
Academy of Art University | (CA) | $39,283.00 | All Students | |
Chatham University | (PA) | $41,454.00 | All Students | |
Naropa University | (CO) | $48,760.00 | All Students | |
New York University | (NY) | $59,562.00 | All Students | |
Academy of Art University | (CA) | $65,425.00 | All Students | |
Savannah College of Art and Design | (GA) | $77,450.00 | All Students | |
New York University | (NY) | $78,756.00 | All Students |
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Accreditation Note: To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
ACEJMC Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications
Rankings Note: These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter/Spring 2020 review of regionally accredited master’s in journalism online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the master's degree in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules. The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note: Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of affordable online journalism degrees may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online journalism master’s for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Affordable Online Journalism Degree Programs: How to Choose
With one of the best online journalism master’s, you can go into a wide variety of careers. Graduates of these programs work as news analysts, media planners, web content creators, social media experts, public relations specialists, and more. Editors, writers, marketing professionals, journalists; all of these professions can be enhanced by an affordable online journalism degree at the master’s level.
An online journalism master’s will enhance communication skills, create greater skills in research and analysis, and provide a deeper understanding in established and emerging media. They are useful for any career that involves communication, and can apply to any industry and all sectors.
Best Online Journalism Master’s Program Majors
Online journalism degrees, at their core, focus on communication. While they take different approaches, and examine communication from various angles, the foundation for these programs is the study of how people communicate and the media or technologies that make communication possible.
Some are more theoretical, focusing on the principles, effects, and theories for mass communication. Others are more technical or specific, focusing on the technologies that make communication possible or the measurable scientific results that come from various communication models.
A master’s degree typically requires between 30 and 40 credit hours, and most are completed within one to three years. Two years of study is the typical timeframe for a student to complete a top master’s in journalism online.
Many of the affordable online journalism degrees on this list focus on journalism and news writing specifically. These programs further develop the skills of journalists and news professionals, helping them present news information in the best possible manner. Others are more firmly rooted in scholarly research. For example, the Master of Arts in Journalism / New Media Studies from Marshall University helps current communication professionals increase their understanding and skills in emerging technologies.
Alternatively, some of the best online journalism master’s programs focus on writing, which specifically develop research, writing, and editing skills. Most of these programs are “Master of Arts” degrees, which tend to be more theoretical and take a broad approach to the subject. Known as “MA” degrees, these top master’s in journalism online programs may include the history of communication technology, modern behavior with digital devices, and important theoretical works surrounding the topic.
A master’s of science, on the other hand, will be more focused and may include the specific application of communication technologies or research methods in the realm of journalism, communication, and writing.
Typical Courses in Affordable Online Journalism Degrees
The typical courses offered in the best online journalism master’s can come in many different forms. There are writing, communications, and journalism programs, so let’s look at a few examples to better understand the potential courses…
University of South Florida – Master of Arts in Digital Journalism & Design
This affordable online journalism degree requires 33 credit hours to complete, including 12 core credit hours, 15 hours of electives, a thesis (six hours), and a final project that counts for three hours. Core requirements include “Multimedia Reporting,” and “Mass Communications Ethics,” while the electives encompass “Web Publishing,” “Photojournalism,” and “Media Management.”
University of North Alabama – Master of Arts in Writing
Requiring at least 36 credit hours, this program starts with a core course: “Introduction to Graduate Studies: Writing Seminar.” Students can then select from three different tracks: “Technical Writing,” “Rhetoric and Composition,” and “Creative Writing.” The Technical Writing track, for example, includes “Multimodal Writing,” and “Technical Editing,” while the Rhetoric track includes “Composition Theory” and “Rhetorical Theory and Culture.”
Kansas State University – Master of Science in Mass Communication
This degree is heavily focused on strategic communications, health and science communication, community media, and digital news. The curriculum includes “Communication Theory,” “Research Methods,” and “Applied Research.” Courses tend to be more technical, focusing on analytics, research, and the science of communication.
Are Affordable Online Journalism Degrees Accredited?
Accreditation is an important part of the academic system. Essentially, accreditation is the review and verification of schools and programs, acting as a quality-control mechanism that ensures colleges and universities deliver a consistent, useful, and reliable education. Accreditation is important because it increases access to financial support, ensures a quality education, and gives greater authority to a graduate degree.
All of the programs in our database, including all of the affordable online journalism degrees, come from schools that hold “institutional” accreditation. Institutional accreditation means that an entire school has been approved by an accrediting organization. Regional groups grant institutional accreditation.
There is also “programmatic” accreditation, which is granted to a specific program. Within this list of the best online journalism master’s options, only one currently holds programmatic accreditation. The Master of Mass Communication from South Dakota State University is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). The other programs on this list do not have programmatic accreditation, but they come from schools that are fully accredited by regional organizations. (Institutional accreditation is a requirement for our list as it is the basis for employer acceptance.)
Admission Requirements for the Best Online Journalism Master’s Programs
If you plan on applying to the best master’s in journalism online for your specific needs, you must understand the admission requirements. Master’s degrees have higher expectations for incoming students, and the entire application package will include numerous documents that require time and effort to create or collect.
The basic requirement is a bachelor’s degree. If you have not completed a bachelor’s, this is an essential step that you must finish before enrolling in a master’s program.
Each program is different, but many have requirements for minimum GPA scores. This requirement usually ranges from about 2.5 to 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate students at the University of South Florida, for instance, need a GPA of 3.0 or better from the last two years of undergraduate (bachelor’s degree) studies.
In addition to a bachelor’s and GPA requirements, applicants will need to submit letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose, also known as a letter of intent. This letter describes why you want a specific degree and how you plan to use the education once you have graduated.
Who Offers the Most Affordable Online Journalism Degree?
A master’s degree in journalism can be fairly affordable, but overall price will depend on the specific program, the courses you take, and the school you attend. The best master’s in journalism online degrees range from less than $10,000 to over $78,000, but the average price is $28,000. As we have noted, most programs require about two years to complete, so a student in the average program can expect about $14,000 in tuition to attend a top master’s in journalism, writing, or communication.
The cheapest master’s in journalism online is the Master of Arts in Writing / Technical & Professional from Missouri State University. This program requires only $9,537 to attend, and this price is available to all students, not just Missouri residents.
The Missouri State program is by far the most affordable master’s in journalism online; second place goes to the Master of Arts in Journalism / New Media Studies from Marshall University, which charges $12,555 for the degree. That’s roughly $3,000 between first and second place. Overall, there are nine different programs priced at or below $15,000, making this an affordable option for many students.
Of course, the price can go much higher. The least-affordable master’s in journalism online is from New York University, which offers the Master of Science in Professional Writing. This program costs $78,756; on a two-year track students need $39,378 per year to complete the degree.
Licensing & Certification Requirements for Journalists
Most writing, journalism, and communication careers do not require licensing. Industry certification is not common either; once students have the skills they can enter the career without specific credentials.
However, two professions can benefit from industry credentials: technical writer and public relations specialist. A technical writer can complete certification through various organizations, including the Society for Technical Communication. This group offers credentials that include the Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC), which is offered by the Society for Technical Communication and available at Foundation, Practitioner, and Expert levels. Technical writers working in the medical industry can become certified by the American Medical Writers Association, although two years of experience in medical communication is required.
Public relations specialists can also become certified. For these professionals, the Public Relations Society of America offers various certificate and professional-development options. Professionals can also find certifications through the Certified Fund Raising Executive program.
Common Career Paths & Expected Salary
After completing a master’s degree in journalism, writing, or communication, a student can expect a decent salary. The median pay for these careers is moderate, but with a master’s degree most professionals can reasonably expect earnings at the higher end of the pay scale.
Writers and Authors
The median annual salary for writers and authors was $69,510. The top industry for these professionals is information, where the median salary is $80,560. Regardless of industry, the top 10% can expect incomes over $133,000 a year, a stat that may be weighted by popular, famous, and high-earning authors.
There will be growth in this profession, but it will be slightly below the national average for all careers. Between 2021 and 2031, this profession is expected to grow by 4%, while the entire job market will grow by 5%.
News Reporters and Journalists
The median pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists is $48,370, while those working for information services have median salaries of $73,180. The top 10% in this profession earn over $120,000, so there is room for growth.
Unfortunately, this career will see a 9% decline in jobs. In 2021, there were roughly 47,100 people in this profession, but the number will drop to 43,100 by 2031.
Public Relations Manager
If a graduate of the best master’s in journalism online program wants to have high earnings, the best career appears to be public relations management. The median salary for this occupation is $125,780, while the top 10% earn over $208,000 annually. Even the lowest 10% had earnings as high as $66,000.
Job opportunity is strong as well making an affordable online journalism degree a great career move. The career is expected to grow by 8% between 2021 and 2031, adding over 5,000 jobs in ten years.
Continuing Education: The Next Step
After a master’s degree, there is only one step remaining in the academic ladder: a doctorate.
These degrees combine theoretical and practical approaches to writing, allowing students to further develop their expertise in the area of research and communication. Once complete, graduates of these elite-level programs are prepared for writing and communication positions with the federal government, public schools, and major universities. They are also prepared to work for private businesses, either as employees or as communication consultants.
Of all the available career options, the most common path for graduates of a doctorate program is teaching, especially at the collegiate level. Graduates of doctorate programs often become college professors, which is one of the few writing-based occupations that requires a Ph.D.
Find the Perfect Communication, Journalism, or Writing Master’s Degree
If you are ready to enhance your research and communication skills, all while expanding your career opportunities, visit GetEducated.com to learn about the best online journalism master’s programs.