Best Journalism Schools Near Waterbury, CT (2026)

Waterbury, Connecticut has 39 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $5,948 to $58,350 per year for indexed programs. Waterbury has a population of about 114,356. Median household income is $51,642 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning journalism-related role is Editor at a median $85,950 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Journalism Schools to Waterbury

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Waterbury, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterbury city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Waterbury. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score โ€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT 12.0 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,759
Avg net price $40,675/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, CT 16.3 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,043
Avg net price $20,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT 16.8 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,562
Avg net price $16,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT 29.8 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
74.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $88,794
Avg net price $48,095/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 44.1 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
78.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,997
Avg net price $25,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Connecticut schools on the Connecticut journalism page.


Journalism Wages Near Waterbury

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$61,620
Editor$85,950
Public Relations Specialist$84,990

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Waterbury at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population114,356Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$51,642Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Waterbury-Area Cities With Journalism Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited journalism schools are near Waterbury, CT?

Our directory has 39 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Waterbury. The closest is Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT (12.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is SUNY Westchester Community College (51.7 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying journalism roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles in Connecticut are: Editor ($85,950), Public Relations Specialist ($84,990), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($61,620). Wages for Waterbury workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Naugatuck instead of Waterbury?

Naugatuck, CT is 4.9 miles from Waterbury and has its own set of local journalism programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waterbury an affordable place to study journalism?

Waterbury’s median household income of $51,642 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterbury while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Connecticut public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Journalism Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterbury

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterbury:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.