by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Cultural Journalism involves the study of A Program Of Study That Prepares Individuals To Be Journalists Who Critically Examine Current Culture As Expressed Through The Visual And Performing Arts, Design, Film, Music, Radio, Television, Dance, Theater, And Written Text. Includes Instruction In Arts Criticism, Art And Entertainment Reporting, Cultural Critique, Investigative Reporting, Newspaper Reporting, Photojournalism, And Writing. Continue reading for the important information every cultural journalism student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering cultural journalism programs.
Our 2026 Best Cultural Journalism Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for cultural journalism students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of cultural journalism programs later in this article.
Coursework for Cultural Journalism emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations cultural journalism graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a cultural journalism program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a cultural journalism major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to cultural journalism tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 70.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in cultural journalism careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in cultural journalism opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to cultural journalism.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to cultural journalism.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 919,494 | -1.5% |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | 92,155 | -0.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of cultural journalism graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $36,675 |
| 4 years | $49,199 |
| 5 years | $57,526 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for cultural journalism graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers cultural journalism grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $96,169 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $74,101 |
With 1 different cultural journalism programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased cultural journalism school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in cultural journalism, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Journalism | 9,378 |
| Journalism, Other | 1,098 |
| Broadcast Journalism | 757 |
| Photojournalism | 91 |
| Science/Health/Environmental Journalism | 10 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
