Rocky Mount, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $8,994 to $68,758 per year for indexed programs. Rocky Mount has a population of about 54,175. Median household income is $52,927 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning journalism-related role is Editor at a median $73,740 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Journalism Schools to Rocky Mount
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Rocky Mount, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Rocky Mount 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Rocky Mount.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,886
Avg net price
$24,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 46
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$72,200
Avg net price
$11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 34
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$74,545
Avg net price
$41,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 90%
- Programs offered: 34
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$36,654
Avg net price
$28,299/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 6
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
75%
Graduation rate
72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,389
Avg net price
$38,707/yr
TuitionIn‑state$45,312
Out‑of‑state$45,312
Key stats- Retention rate: 85%
- Programs offered: 36
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,649
Avg net price
$20,748/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 69%
- Programs offered: 29
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,673
Avg net price
$30,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$51,836
Avg net price
$16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 61
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina journalism page.
Journalism Wages Near Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount is part of the Rocky Mount, NC metro area (BLS area code 40580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist | $58,670 | NC statewide | $66,670 |
| Editor | $73,740 | NC statewide | $83,795 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $61,030 | Rocky Mount, NC | $69,352 |
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.
Rocky Mount at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 54,175 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $52,927 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.5% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 88.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Rocky Mount-Area Cities With Journalism Programs
- Wilson, NC – 17.7 mi away (49,644 pop)
- Roanoke Rapids, NC – 34.1 mi away (23,546 pop)
- Greenville, NC – 35.2 mi away (127,464 pop)
- Wake Forest, NC – 39.7 mi away (40,112 pop)
- Goldsboro, NC – 41.8 mi away (59,969 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited journalism schools are near Rocky Mount, NC?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Rocky Mount. The closest is Barton College in Wilson, NC (17.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Elon University (95.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Rocky Mount?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Rocky Mount are: Editor ($73,740), Public Relations Specialist ($61,030), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($58,670). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Wilson instead of Rocky Mount?
Wilson, NC is 17.7 miles from Rocky Mount 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 Rocky Mount an affordable place to study journalism?
Rocky Mount’s median household income of $52,927 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rocky Mount while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Rocky Mount
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rocky Mount:
- Public Relations programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Communication Disorders programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Speech Pathology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Technical Communication programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Professional Writing programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Strategic Communications programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Business Development programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Construction Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Economics programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Financial Technology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Forensic Accounting programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Health Information Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Hospitality Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- International Business programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Organizational Leadership programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Management Information Systems programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Nonprofit Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Operations Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Public Administration programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Real Estate programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Recreation Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Retail Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Risk Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Statistics programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Taxation programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Corrections programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Crime Analysis programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Criminology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Cybercrime programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Emergency Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Fire Science programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Forensic Science programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Legal Services programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Legal Studies programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Paralegal programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Security Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Cloud Computing programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Computer Engineering programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Innovation programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Mobile App Development programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Software Development programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- User Experience programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Web Development programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Machine Learning programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Supply Chain Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Data Analytics programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Public Health programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Human Resources programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Project Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Special Education programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Homeland Security programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Marketing programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Finance programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Kinesiology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Sports Management programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Early Childhood Education programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Elementary Education programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Biology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Communications programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Graphic Design programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Human Services programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- MBA programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Criminal Justice programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Nursing programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Business Administration programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Computer Science programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Psychology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Education programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Engineering programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Technology programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Liberal Arts programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Healthcare programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Cybersecurity programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Accounting programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Healthcare Administration programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Social Work programs in Rocky Mount, NC
- Counseling programs in Rocky Mount, NC
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 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.
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