If the thought of paying out-of-state expenses makes you feel that earning a bachelors degree in journalism from one of the top journalism colleges in the country is impossible, then you'll want to reconsider. The total cost of top journalism programs range in price from $25,000 to $65,000 and offer financial assistance to exceptional students.

You can receive training from prize-winning journalists at a nationally recognized institution. Take an assessment of your talent and finances as you consider the pricing and costs of journalism colleges and universities in the following ways:

1. Inquire about scholarships and grants.

2. Look at colleges with journalism programs that are nationally recognized.

3. Find affordable top ranking journalism universities.

4. Prepare for hidden costs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Seek scholarships to offset the costs of journalism colleges and universities

While the costs of prominent journalism universities typically exceed $60,000 annually, many of these institutions offer financial assistance to students who show promise.

I recommend: The Journalism School at Columbia University sets the standard for outstanding journalism. The faculty consists of award-winning professionals and the school administers media awards that include Pulitzer Prizes and duPont Awards to name a few. Although the estimated expense for attendance is over $65,000 annually, the school awards approximately $4.4 million to exceptional students per academic year. Medill at Northwestern University is a sponsor of The Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism, John Bartlow Martin Award and Ida B. Wells Award. While it costs over $60,000 per academic year to attend, the school does award over $2.5 million to qualified students annually.

Consider exceptional colleges of journalism that are mid-range in price

Look at top ranking journalism universities that range between $35,000 and $55,000 if you want to attend a school with nationally recognized programs.

I recommend: Washington and Lee University is among the top 20 liberal arts colleges and well known for the journalism program offered through the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. The institution awards scholarships to 10% of incoming students through the Johnson Scholarship Competition and other awards. It costs a little over $47,000 annually to attend. The Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland has a faculty that is comprised of Pulitzer Prize winners and media scholars as well as nationally recognized programs. The cost of attendance is over $36,000 annually. There are also fellowships and aid available for those choosing to further their journalism career with a Masters degree.

Locate top ranking journalism programs that fit your budget

If your college fund is minimal, look for top-tier journalism colleges that are less than $25,000 annually.

I recommend: The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications (CoJMC) is a top tier college for journalism that costs over $24,000 per school year. The institution awards more than $4 million in scholarships to incoming students. Boost your journalism career and get a master's journalism degree online from the institution at a cost of over $1400 per 3 credit hour courses. The UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication is ranked as one of the top five colleges for journalism. An out-of-state student can expect to pay over $21,000 annually for attendance.

Account for hidden costs associated with college journalism programs

As you go about the process of gathering information on tuition and fees, remember to include the costs of room and board, books, supplies, health insurance, transportation and other living expenses you might otherwise overlook.

I recommend: Use the College Cost Calculator on College Board to account for the inflation rate, college savings and the amount of time it will take to complete a degree. FinAid provides a College Cost Projector and other tools as well as links to information about scholarships, military aid and other types of financial assistance.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Inquire about distance learning programs for undergraduate and graduate programs offered at the journalism colleges and universities mentioned in this guide.

If you like to write and have a nose for the news, a career in journalism may be for you. A Bachelor's Degree in journalism can help you land a job writing for a newspaper or anchoring the nightly news.

Of course, not all colleges for journalism study are created equal. When evaluating your choices, consider:

1. Accreditation by educational organizations.
2. A variety of educational opportunities including internships.
3. Professional faculty with real-world experience.
4. Postgraduate employment statistics.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find colleges for journalism that meet national standards

You want to look at journalism universities that strive toward excellence in the field. Set aside any college that doesn't pass the test. Consider journalism colleges and universities that meet or exceed the national standard. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), evaluates college journalism programs on nine standards. The ACEJMC accredits 105 programs in the United States and one overseas program as meeting their standards.

I recommend: The College of Communications at Pennsylvania State University is one of the top journalism colleges in the nation, and is ACEJMC-accredited.

Find journalism colleges and universities with a lot to offer

Look for a program with a wide range of opportunities within the fields of journalism and broadcast journalism. You will want hands-on newsroom experience and opportunities to start building your portfolio of work.

I recommend: Consider University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism, one of the colleges with journalism programs offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in broadcast and print journalism and public relations, as well as master's programs. Kent State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication is ACEJMC-accredited, offering nine courses of study within the program, including broadcast, news or magazine journalism, photojournalism, information design, electronic media production, and video and film programming, as well as advertising and public relations.

Focus on journalism universities that will help get you where you want to be

Getting a top-notch education is vital. Having better potential for landing a job is even better. Look for colleges for journalism that offer a strong advising program. Your college advisor can help you find internship and job opportunities in the journalism field.

I recommend: The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Arizona has a well-organized program for internships with affiliated companies. American University in Washington, D.C., has a partnership with the Washington Post, offering students a unique experience with one of the nation's top newspapers.

Get a journalism degree online

Online journalism schools offer degrees in journalism, but make sure the school is accredited.

I recommend: Look for journalism degrees online to see what's being offered. Consider the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland for a ACEJMC-accredited school of journalism that offers a Master's in Journalism degree online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  No matter which journalism college you go to, you can get ready for a career in journalism by taking advantage of as many on-campus opportunities as possible, such as working for the college newspaper, gaining on-air experience on a college news station, editing the school magazine or producing a show.

Choosing a college for journalism training is a major step toward starting a career in the field. Today's journalism graduate is versed in areas that include photojournalism, telecommunications and broadcasting as well as print journalism. The advent of the information society is causing colleges with journalism programs to shift and include courses in new media to enable graduates to provide current news information that is available in a variety of mediums.

Journalism universities prepare students to fill a wide range of roles in print or broadcast media as well as academe. If you're in the process of planning the beginning stages of a career in journalism, try making the most of journalism colleges and universities course offerings in the following ways:

1. Look for college journalism programs that train students across different mediums.

2. Seek out journalism universities that utilize new technology.

3. Consider college journalism programs that are available online.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find broadcast journalism colleges that train students across different mediums

Colleges of journalism that include training in broadcasting areas such as radio, television and digital media produce graduates that are ready to become on-air personalities or work behind the scenes in a production capacity. Courses in digital video and media production enable students to operate photographic equipment and also step into roles as news videographers.

I recommend: The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences consists of departments in Telecommunication and Film, Advertising and Public Relations, Communication, Journalism and Graduate Studies. The institution also has a Center for Public Television and Radio. Journalism students at the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg School for Communication graduate from a program prepared to work in print, broadcast and online journalism media formats. The Charles Annenberg Weingarten Program on Online Communities (APOC) is a one year master's program that is designed to develop professional management skills in every aspect of online communities.

Enroll in college journalism programs that teach students new media technology

A college for journalism may also include training in various aspects of telecommunications that include webcasting. Courses in new media technology broaden a journalism major's expertise beyond print and broadcasting to reach an online audience.

I recommend: Arkansas State University (ASU) College of Communications offers journalism programs in photojournalism, graphic communications, advertising and radio-tv programs that include new media, broadcast news, radio-tv production and management. Graduate programs in mass communication and theatre arts are also available. University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) offers small class sizes to students utilizing labs and studios to learn new-media design, digital video and audio recording as well as other mediums related to media. The school specializes in teaching students the latest technology in the field.

Research institutions that can enable you to earn a journalism degree online

In addition to offering a broader range of courses, colleges for journalism provide more than a bachelors degree in journalism but also offer programs that lead to one-year certificates, associate's degrees, master's degrees and doctorates. Moreover, colleges in journalism are going beyond traditional classroom settings to make journalism training more accessible to students through online programs. Online journalism schools offer certificate courses as well as programs that lead to degrees that range from an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) to a Master of Science in Journalism (MSJ).

I recommend: The University of Memphis utilizes eCourseware to offer students courses that can lead to a Master of Arts in Journalism. This online program takes two years to complete and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). The University of Missouri's School of Journalism offers a Master of Arts in Journalism in Strategic Communications or Media Management for journalism professionals that want to earn an advanced degree.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) provides detailed information about the evaluation of journalism and mass communications programs including a description of new standards and diversity practices in journalism colleges and universities.