Journalism Major

Journalism Major Salary in Illinois

$20.8K

$41.7K

$79.5K

$44,588

/year

$21.44

/hour

Journalism Major Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$46,013

Illinois

Illinois

$44,588

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    How much does a Journalism Major make in Illinois?

    As of May 27, 2026, the average annual pay for a Journalism Major in Illinois is $44,588 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $21.44 an hour. This is the equivalent of $857/week or $3,715/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $79,460 and as low as $20,834, the majority of Journalism Major salaries currently range between $37,300 (25th percentile) to $46,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $78,006 annually in Illinois. The average pay range for a Journalism Major varies greatly (by as much as 9200), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    Illinois ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Journalism Major salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Journalism Major jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Journalism Major on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Journalism Major Jobs in Illinois

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Journalism Major job is above the average in Illinois in Illinois. Topping the list is Palos Park, , with Chicago, and Urbana, close behind in the second and third positions. Urbana, beats the average in Illinois by $1,722 (3.9%), and Palos Park, furthers that trend with another $4,973 (11.2%) above the $44,588 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for Illinois, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Journalism Major appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 8% between Palos Park, and Springfield, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Journalism Major role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Palos Park

    $49,561

    $23.83

    Chicago

    $47,438

    $22.81

    Urbana

    $46,310

    $22.26

    Champaign

    $46,080

    $22.15

    Rockford

    $46,051

    $22.14

    Western Springs

    $46,009

    $22.12

    Havana

    $45,970

    $22.10

    Glendale Heights

    $45,821

    $22.03

    Aurora

    $45,619

    $21.93

    Springfield

    $45,604

    $21.93

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Journalism Major Jobs in Illinois

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Journalism Major job category in Illinois, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $44588 state average for Journalism Major jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Pr Marketing

    $64,581

    $31.05

    Entry Level Content Marketing

    $57,674

    $27.73

    Marketing And Communications Coordinator

    $52,393

    $25.19

    Pr Coordinator

    $50,318

    $24.19

    Marketing And Events Assistant

    $41,781

    $20.09

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Journalism Major salary in Illinois as of May 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $37,300 to $78,006 annually, with the Illinois average at $44,588 per year or $21.44 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Illinois for Journalism Major jobs, with Palos Park leading at $49,561 annually.