Best Journalism Schools Near Erie, PA (2026)

Erie, Pennsylvania has 9 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $3,872 to $41,735 per year for indexed programs. Erie has a population of about 94,156. Median household income is $43,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Erie, PA metro area, the top-earning journalism-related role is Editor at a median $58,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Journalism Schools to Erie

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

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

Sort:
#1

Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus

Indiana, PA 113.1 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
52.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,019
Avg net price $16,804/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA 116.0 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
41.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,856
Avg net price $25,942/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA 116.2 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
71.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,742
Avg net price $37,730/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pennsylvania Western University

California, PA 142.1 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,295
Avg net price $18,256/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Johnstown, PA 143.3 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $18,202/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA 146.4 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $32,875/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,644
Out‑of‑state$41,790
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA 153.3 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,537
Avg net price $18,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 189.0 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,723
Avg net price $28,819/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Journalism Wages Near Erie

Erie is part of the Erie, PA metro area (BLS area code 21500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
News Analyst, Reporter, and JournalistN/APA statewide
Editor$58,240Erie, PA$64,000
Public Relations Specialist$53,060Erie, PA$58,308

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.


Erie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population94,156Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,397Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Erie-Area Cities With Journalism Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited journalism schools are near Erie, PA?

Our directory has 9 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Erie. The closest is Gannon University in Erie, PA (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kent State University at Kent (93.8 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Erie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Erie are: Editor ($58,240), Public Relations Specialist ($53,060). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Meadville instead of Erie?

Meadville, PA is 32.6 miles from Erie 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 Erie an affordable place to study journalism?

Erie’s median household income of $43,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Erie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Erie

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

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.