Best Journalism Schools Near Pharr, TX (2026)

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

Pharr, Texas is home to about 79,809 residents. Median household income is $49,884 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area, the top-earning journalism-related role is Public Relations Specialist at a median $48,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Journalism Schools to Pharr

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Pharr, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Pharr 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 Pharr. 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

Del Mar College

Corpus Christi, TX 120.3 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,656
Avg net price $3,399/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX 226.1 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
41.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,675
Avg net price $16,442/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX 257.5 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,906
Avg net price $16,805/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 285.6 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Austin Community College District

Austin, TX 288.7 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,177
Avg net price $6,390/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,550
Out‑of‑state$10,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Texas Southern University

Houston, TX 300.1 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,924
Avg net price $16,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Houston

Houston, TX 300.7 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,377
Avg net price $14,276/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 150

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 327.5 miles from Pharr
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,097
Avg net price $21,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Journalism Wages Near Pharr

Pharr is part of the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area (BLS area code 32580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$39,860McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$46,403
Editor$45,950TX statewide$53,492
Public Relations Specialist$48,980McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$57,020

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.

Pharr at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population79,809Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,884Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)85.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Pharr-Area Cities With Journalism Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Pharr?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Pharr are: Public Relations Specialist ($48,980), Editor ($45,950), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($39,860). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in San Juan instead of Pharr?

San Juan, TX is 2.8 miles from Pharr 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 Pharr an affordable place to study journalism?

Pharr’s median household income of $49,884 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pharr while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Pharr

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

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 Texas: Online Programs (2026)