You train the next generation of reporters, teaching the craft and ethics of telling true stories — reporting, writing, and verification — while often researching media itself. Teaching how to tell true stories.
The work blends teaching and practice: leading reporting and writing courses, editing students' work line by line, advising student media, and grading. Much of the value is modeling real journalistic judgment, and teaching a craft that's changing fast — the tools, platforms, and business of news keep shifting under the fundamentals.
The institution defines it — a research university weights scholarship, a teaching-focused program leans on newsroom skills. Journalism's industry turmoil shadows the field, raising hard questions about preparing students for shrinking job markets. Adjunct roles are common, and balancing professional experience with academic expectations can be its own tension.
This suits experienced journalists who love teaching the craft — people committed to mentoring despite the field's headwinds. If you want stability or industry pay, academia and journalism together can be a tough combination. But if shaping ethical, capable reporters feels urgent and meaningful, especially now, the work can matter deeply.
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Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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Get your career on record. Then decide.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
You train the next generation of reporters, teaching the craft and ethics of telling true stories — reporting, writing, and verification — while often researching media itself. Teaching how to tell true stories.
Median pay for a Journalism Professor is about $78K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $47K to $160K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Instructing, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and Learning Strategies.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 2.1% through 2034, with roughly 29,260 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Adjunct Communications Faculty Member, Communication Instructor, and Communication Arts Professor.
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