U of R School of Journalism graduates are in strong demand for their ability to hit the ground running with a full range of print, broadcast and online skills. The 13-week paid undergraduate internship provides industry contacts and, in many cases, employment offers on graduation. Many begin working part-time/casual in local newsrooms while they are studying. In a typical year, a strong majority of our grads already have job offers and employment secured before graduation, some years 100 per cent. Although some legacy media outlets are struggling, the market for new grads remains strong on the Prairies, and new types of journalism platforms are emerging at a rapid pace.

A survey of recent graduates found 90.2 per cent reported they were in salaried employment during the first year after graduating, while 24.4 per cent did freelance journalism work either solely or on the side to add to their income. None reported being unemployed, with the remainder spending their time traveling or continuing their education. Asked to describe their first ‘real job,’ just 13.3 per cent reported that it was outside the field of journalism. The majority of first jobs were full time.

Master of Journalism students typically arrive mid-career, and either return to their workplaces with enhanced skills and experience, or take the opportunity to strike out on a new journalism path. An MJ also opens the door to PhD studies or a career teaching journalism, being the minimum requirement for faculty positions at universities.

How much do journalists earn?

Journalism salaries range from minimum-wage entry level jobs to six-figure incomes for senior editors, producers and anchors. In Canada, many journalism jobs are unionized, providing extra health benefits, pensions and enhanced job security. Below is a summary of weekly wages at daily newspapers in 2016 compiled by J-Source.ca, Canada’s journalism news website.

Weekly pay rates at unionized newspapers in 2016 by jsource2007 on Scribd