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First, some facts. Of the Journalism graduates from West Virginia University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:
These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).
The verdict? Significantly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 54%, Journalism graduates from West Virginia University have a much lower likelihood (-13%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:
And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.
Also, after graduating, 40% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Journalism graduate.
See the details:
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Relevance score: 29% We think this person has NOT gone into a career related to their degree.
DEGREE INFOGraduated in 2015 from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Journalism. Also pursued further education since (see below). JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATIONNews Reporter WTRF 7News Feb 2016 - Jun 2018 Teacher  Jefferson County Schools, WV Jan 2019 - Aug 2020 Teacher Loudoun County Public Schools Aug 2020 - Present FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATINGCertificationWheeling University 2016 - 2018 Master of Education - MEd University of Virginia 2020 - 2021 ABOUTNo information provided. |
The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:
So, if you take a look at the career paths of West Virginia University journalism graduates, you'll notice a pretty diverse range of jobs. The most common jobs seem to be in communications, marketing, and media-related roles, which include positions like communications specialists and multimedia journalists. A good number of graduates did land roles that directly utilized their journalism skills, such as news reporters and media relations interns. However, there’s also a significant number of grads who ended up in positions that seem pretty far off from traditional journalism. Many found themselves in fields like sales, event management, and even theme park operations, where the connection to journalism feels pretty tenuous.
In general, while some graduates have pursued careers that are deeply rooted in journalism, many others have veered into jobs that mostly call for communication skills but don’t heavily rely on the specifics of what they learned in their journalism studies. It’s kind of a mixed bag – those who stuck with media and writing are definitely using their degree effectively, but a notable portion has drifted into areas that don’t fully leverage their journalism education. This shows that while a degree in journalism can open doors in various industries, it doesn't always lead directly to traditional journalism careers.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Journalism graduates (this is across all Journalism graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to West Virginia University):
From checking out the LinkedIn profiles of West Virginia University journalism graduates, it looks like they've got quite a mixed bag when it comes to career trajectories. For many of them, internships and entry-level positions like editorial interns or multimedia journalists seem to be common first steps after graduation. These roles often involve hands-on experience in writing, reporting, or media production, which is essential for anyone starting in the journalism field. However, it's also clear that not everyone sticks strictly to journalism. Some have veered off into areas like marketing, communications, and even completely different fields such as real estate and teaching, especially around the five-year mark after graduation.
As time goes on—about five to ten years later—you start to see a wider variety of roles. Some graduates have moved into higher-level positions within media and communications, like senior consultants or creative directors, which shows that the skills they gained in journalism are still applicable. Others, however, have shifted towards non-journalistic career paths, like marketing or project management, which might suggest they found a better fit outside traditional journalism roles. So while many WVU journalism grads do land solid jobs in the field initially, there's definitely a trend of diversifying into other areas as they progress in their careers. It paints a picture of a program that prepares students for various career paths, even if not all of them are directly related to journalism.
Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism at West Virginia University is generally on the challenging side but definitely manageable if you're truly interested in the field. You’ll be diving into writing, reporting, multimedia storytelling, and maybe even some ethics, which can be tough but also super rewarding if you enjoy being creative and staying on top of current events. The workload might feel heavier during certain projects or when you're juggling deadlines, but with good time management and a passion for the subject, you can absolutely handle it. So, while it's not a walk in the park, if you’re dedicated, you can definitely make it through!
Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Journalism.
Alright, so looking at these West Virginia University journalism grads, it's a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to their earnings. Those who have taken roles in communications and marketing seem to have carved out decent careers, especially the ones working as Senior Communications Consultants, which tends to pay pretty well. On the flip side, graduates who went into teaching or started off as interns might be looking at less impressive paychecks, at least in the early years. Overall, it seems like some have managed to land respectable gigs with good earning potential, while others might still be grinding it out in lower-paying or freelance roles. So, while there's potential for decent money, especially as they gain experience, the early hustle can definitely be tough financially.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Journalism (this is across all Journalism graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to West Virginia University). This may or may not be useful:
Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Journalism (ordered by the average relevance score of their Journalism graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:
