Best Journalism Schools Near Portage, MI (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Portage, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering journalism programs. Portage has a population of about 49,015. Median household income is $79,529 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning journalism-related role is Editor at a median $63,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Journalism Schools to Portage

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Portage, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Portage 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 Portage. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

The University of Olivet

Olivet, MI 38.0 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,907
Avg net price $21,393/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 53.0 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 54.9 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 67.7 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 100.5 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 104.6 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, MI 120.7 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,795
Avg net price $660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI 125.4 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,612
Avg net price $9,120/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Journalism Wages Near Portage

Portage is part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area (BLS area code 28020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$62,760MI statewide$66,203
Editor$63,090MI statewide$66,551
Public Relations Specialist$61,660Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$65,042

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.

Portage at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population49,015Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$79,529Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+48.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)94.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Portage-Area Cities With Journalism Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited journalism schools are near Portage, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Portage. The closest is The University of Olivet in Olivet, MI (38.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Michigan State University (67.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Portage?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Portage are: Editor ($63,090), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($62,760), Public Relations Specialist ($61,660). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kalamazoo instead of Portage?

Kalamazoo, MI is 5.2 miles from Portage 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 Portage an affordable place to study journalism?

Portage’s median household income of $79,529 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portage while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Portage

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

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Journalism Schools in Michigan: Online Programs (2026)