Publishing: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 4 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Publishing pays
Career outlook for Publishing graduates
The job market for the occupations Publishing graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editors | 115,800 | +0.6% | $75,260 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Publishing vs similar majors
How Publishing stacks up against the closest fields in Communication & Journalism on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Publishing Communication & Journalism · this major | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | Journalism | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 44 D | 51 C | 43 D | 34 F |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Break-even |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $66,070 | $62,634 | $60,960 | $55,470 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $48,328 | $42,528 | $42,164 | $35,807 |
| ROI vs cost | +124% | +118% | +92% | +30% |
| Typical debt | $60,535 | $24,638 | $30,965 | $23,371 |
| Colleges offering it | 4 | 184 | 32 | 191 |
Publishing earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Publishing
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington University Washington, DC | Certificate | $84,103 | $40,899 | +143% | Strong return |
| 2 | Pace University New York, NY | Certificate | $59,322 | $36,946 | +5% | Break-even |
| 3 | New York University New York, NY | Certificate | $63,087 | $119,934 | -6% | Poor return |
| 4 | Emerson College Boston, MA | Certificate | $57,769 | $44,360 | -40% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.