A recent study found newspaper reporter to be the second worst occupation in the country, so if you are committed to a career in journalism, a top notch degree is vital.

College Factual, a group of self-proclaimed “data geeks,” analyzed colleges across the country, and found that for 2014 these 10 universities offered the best overall journalism major.

Editor’s Note: College Factual bases college rankings by major on a unique selection of characteristics, including the quality of the overall school, Focus Coefficient and the starting and mid-career salaries of graduates within the major, among other factors.

1. University of Southern California

The Los Angeles based university is known not only for its perfect weather and beautiful students, but also for its Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Annenberg is opening a new building in the fall featuring a state of the art 20,000-square-foot digital newsroom. USC also has the highest paid graduates from its journalism program, according to College Factual.

2. Boston University

BU allows students to specialize within the journalism major, offering focus areas in broadcast journalism, magazine journalism, online journalism and straight journalism. The University also boasts the #11 spot for best college in Massachusetts, meaning it will provide you with a wonderful education outside of your major.

3. Washington and Lee University

As a liberal arts college, W&L allows students to explore fields outside of their major through a liberal arts education. But students still get plenty of reporting experience — especially since they are required to have at least one journalism internship before graduating. With a student to faculty ratio of 8:1, W&L is a great fit for students who want a small school with even smaller class sizes.

4. Northwestern University

Journalism is the second most popular field of study at Northwestern — and we have a pretty good idea why. The journalism program offers a hands-on residency program, in which students are matched with media outlets across the country and even abroad for one quarter to gain real-world experience in the industry.

5. George Washington University

Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., GWU offers journalists specializing in politics with the perfect reporting environment. Seriously — they even offer a degree in political communication for those of you who aspire to work for Politico someday. The school’s proximity of Georgetown Cupcake and Sprinkles isn’t so bad either.

6. New York University

NYU is ranked #81 out of 1,333 colleges, so the university will provide you with a solid education regardless of major. Journalism students are required to major in one additional field of study, so if you only want to focus on reporting this may not be the place for you. But if you’re looking for a solid education in a big city, then NYU should be added to your list of potential college options.

7. Lehigh University

Lehigh is great for journalists who want to focus on environmental journalism, since the school offers a degree in Science and Environmental writing. Students are also required to pick up a major or minor outside of the Department of Journalism and Communication.

8. Pepperdine University

Pepperdine overlooks the Pacific Ocean and lies in the heart of Malibu. The gorgeous campus has a very small student body of about 7,700 students. While Pepperdine is a Christian University, the school’s website states that students of “all faith traditions are welcome.”

9. Northeastern University

Journalism majors at Northeastern are given the chance to participate in co-ops, in which students are matched with employers to gain real-world reporting experience. Some past employers include MSNBC, Boston Globe and Vogue. Gaining this experience in college helps you make connections with people who could potentially turn into your employers upon graduation.

10. University of California-Irvine

UC-Irvine offers a degree in literary journalism, which is geared toward students who are interested in nonfiction writing. The program provides students with impeccable writing skills that can be used in the newsroom upon graduation.

For more college rankings, ratings and information on majors, explore College Factual.