Best Journalism Schools Near Richland, WA (2026)

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

Richland, Washington is home to about 61,912 residents. Median household income is $92,550 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area, the top-earning journalism-related role is Public Relations Specialist at a median $103,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Journalism Schools to Richland

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

Washington State University

Pullman, WA 106.2 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,905
Avg net price $14,971/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA 116.1 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,897
Avg net price $13,886/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,586
Out‑of‑state$25,959
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 113

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane, WA 129.3 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,955
Avg net price $7,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA 130.8 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
76.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,892
Avg net price $35,119/yr
Tuition
In‑state$55,480
Out‑of‑state$55,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 170.7 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, WA 172.8 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
52.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,506
Avg net price $24,488/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA 225.7 miles from Richland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,569
Avg net price $21,193/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Journalism Wages Near Richland

Richland is part of the Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area (BLS area code 28420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$54,760WA statewide$54,705
Editor$77,850WA statewide$77,772
Public Relations Specialist$103,030Kennewick-Richland, WA$102,927

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.

Richland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population61,912Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,550Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+46.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Richland-Area Cities With Journalism Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Richland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Richland are: Public Relations Specialist ($103,030), Editor ($77,850), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($54,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kennewick instead of Richland?

Kennewick, WA is 8.2 miles from Richland 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 Richland an affordable place to study journalism?

Richland’s median household income of $92,550 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Richland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Richland

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

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 Washington: Online Programs (2026)