Top 10 jobs for journalism grads

What can you do with a journalism degree? The answer goes far beyond traditional media.

By Lily Martis, Monster staff

Newsflash: If you're interested in journalism jobs, that doesn't mean you're limited to traditional media jobs. OK, maybe that’s not exactly breaking news, but you should know that jobs for journalism majors offer writing opportunities that go way beyond that 6-inch story you wrote for your college newspaper. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale, Monster reported on 10 journalism careers for you to investigate, and be sure to check out Monster's grad site for more great info.

Content marketer

What you’d do: A journalism career will undoubtedly center around writing, and all industries need strong writers in many mediums. Content marketers create videos, articles, and images within an editorial calendar to create brand awareness, upsell products, participate in conversations about subjects related to the brand, and create a sense of community between customers and the brand. Additionally, content marketers target emails, content, social media posts, and other creative forms of communication to different points in a customer’s experience.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree should be sufficient to get a job in content marketing.
What you’d make: $46,718 per year

Find content marketer jobs on Monster.

Copywriter

What you’d do: Whenever you see an advertisement, a copywriter developed the message being delivered. If you're naturally persuasive, super-creative, and can cram a lot of convincing information into a few words, this job should grab your attention.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree should be sufficient to get a copywriting job.
What you’d make: $49,664 per year

Find copywriter jobs on Monster.

Corporate communications specialist

What you’d do: Major corporations need to relay company-specific information to their many employees, as well as the press. This includes everything from benefits information to internal news stories to details of upcoming events. A corporate communications specialist is in charge of creating and distributing all this news, and often maintaining a company intranet.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is the baseline. Check out this sample resume for a communications manager.
What you’d make: $62,170 per year

Find corporate communications jobs on Monster.

Editor

What you’d do: A traditional but ever-changing journalism career choice, editors oversee every step of the publishing process, working with writers to plan and edit content for publication. Editors work at magazines, newspapers, online media outlets—basically anywhere there’s a story, there’s an editor.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree, along with an internship and/or work experience, is the norm.
What you’d make: $59,480 per year

Find editor jobs on Monster.

Grant writer

What you’d do: Grant writers use their persuasive talents to demonstrate the importance of a nonprofit organization's causes through written proposals to win the money necessary to promote them.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is standard for this role.
What you’d make: $62,170 per year

Find grant writer jobs on Monster.

Public relations specialist

What you’d do: Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organizations they represent and put together media releases to help shape public perception and increase brand awareness. Your journalism background makes you an excellent candidate for a public relations role, as they regularly interact with journalists to effectively communicate their organizations' messages.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is the baseline, but most employers will want you to have completed an internship. Check out this sample resume for a public relations manager.
What you’d make: $60,000 per year

Find public relations jobs on Monster.

Reporter

What you’d do: Ground zero of journalism jobs, reporters inform the public about news and events, spending much of their time in the field, conducting interviews and investigating stories. They work on tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment, striving to be the first to publish the story.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree along with an internship or work experience is expected. Check out this sample resume for a reporter.
What you’d make: $43,490 per year

Find reporter jobs on Monster.

Social media specialist

What you’d do: Tweet, share, like, post, etc. A social media specialist works for a brand or organization and communicates with the public through social media platforms to build a favorable reputation. They also review data and analytics to see how they can improve their company’s social shareability.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is required, but you’ll also need to have a strong knowledge of social media platforms and networking tools. An internship can help make you more attractive to employers. Check out this sample resume for a social media manager.
What you’d make: $50,248 per year

Find social media jobs on Monster.

Sports information director

What you’d do: If you're a sports junkie, how about getting paid to oversee a college athletics program's ongoing communications needs? As a sports information director, you'll help local, regional, and national sports journalists get the stories they need from your school's coaches and athletes. You'll also coordinate media coverage for various athletic events.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is normally required for this role. Although not required, having a background in collegiate athletics can help make you more attractive to employers.
What you’d make: $41,170 per year

Find sports marketing jobs on Monster.

Technical writer

What you’d do: Any time instructions must be written, particularly for a technical product or service, these writers go to work. Technical writers prepare instruction manuals and how-to guides to explain how a product or service works.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree is standard for this role, but having expertise with a technical subject (such as computer science, engineering, or web design) is helpful.
What you’d make: $71,850 per year

Find technical writer jobs on Monster.

Writing your way to a job

Strong writing abilities will always be in demand, no matter what kind of writing it is you specialize in. Ready to impress hiring managers with your wordsmith skills? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your cover letter and resume—each tailored to different types of writing jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent to your inbox as soon as positions become available. That's news you can use.