College newspapers serve campus communities through print editions, websites, social platforms, and advertising programs. The figures below show how publications differ in circulation, frequency, audience size, format, and business model, with each measurement attributed to the publication that reported it.
Contents
- Circulation and distribution
- Audience size and campus markets
- Publishing schedules and digital reach
- History, staffing, and funding
- Print formats and advertising prices
- Guides, engagement, and special measures
Circulation and distribution
Print circulation varies widely among the publications in these figures. The Quinnipiac Chronicle reports a weekly circulation of 1,200 during the academic year. The GW Hatchet also publishes 1,200 copies once each week during the academic year and distributes those papers across 37 campus locations. (The Quinnipiac Chronicle; The GW Hatchet)
The Gatepost distributes 1,200 print copies each week and advertises exposure to more than 5,000 students, faculty, and staff. Its first issue appeared in 1932, and the publication says it has advertised since that first issue. (The Gatepost)
The Paisano publishes 1,500 copies every Tuesday. Its reported weekly circulation is more than 34,000 students, making the relationship between copies and claimed audience especially important when interpreting the number: circulation and potential readership are different measures. (The Paisano)
The Cornell Sun prints 3,000 copies and is available at more than 80 locations. The Ubyssey reports distribution of 8,000 newspaper copies and reaches more than 85 campus locations. It publishes in a tabloid format and prints all issues in full colour. (The Cornell Sun; The Ubyssey)
| Publication | Reported print measure | Distribution detail |
|---|---|---|
| The Gatepost | 1,200 copies weekly | Exposure to over 5,000 students, faculty, and staff |
| The Quinnipiac Chronicle | 1,200 weekly | During the academic year |
| The GW Hatchet | 1,200 weekly | 37 campus locations |
| The Paisano | 1,500 every Tuesday | Weekly circulation above 34,000 students |
| The Cornell Sun | 3,000 copies | More than 80 locations |
| The Ubyssey | 8,000 copies | More than 85 campus locations |
These reported figures are not directly interchangeable. Some describe copies printed, some describe copies distributed, and others describe circulation or potential exposure. The distinction matters when comparing a physical press run with the size of a publication’s wider campus market.
Audience size and campus markets
The Cornell Sun provides one of the most detailed market breakdowns. Its listed Cornell market contains 1,679 faculty members, 8,392 staff members, 15,182 undergraduates, and 8,418 graduate and professional students. Together, those groups total 33,671 people. The publication also lists an Ithaca population reference of 31,006. (The Cornell Sun)
The Quinnipiac Chronicle reports approximate enrollment of 6,500 undergraduates and 2,800 graduate students. It also reports total enrollment of 9,424 in fall 2024. Because the undergraduate and graduate figures are described as approximate while the total is tied to a specific fall term, they should be read as separate reported measures rather than recomputed into a new total. (The Quinnipiac Chronicle)
The Charlatan describes a community reach of 30,000 to 40,000 people every year. Its associated Carleton University figures include 31,409 students and 3,439 faculty, staff, and instructors. The university also has about 5,600 international students from more than 150 countries. (The Charlatan)
The audience descriptions show several ways college newspapers define their market:
- The Gatepost emphasizes exposure across students, faculty, and staff.
- The Cornell Sun itemizes a total Cornell market by role.
- The Charlatan reports annual community reach and campus population measures.
- The GW Hatchet reports weekly views and social followers alongside print distribution.
The Charlatan also reports that 60 percent of its readers are actively engaged in campus life. That percentage describes reader engagement, not the total size of the publication’s audience. (The Charlatan)
Publishing schedules and digital reach
College newspaper publishing schedules range from daily web updates to weekly or biweekly print editions. The Quinnipiac Chronicle is distributed each week during the academic year. The GW Hatchet runs its print edition on Mondays, publishes a weekly online edition on Thursdays, and publishes news stories daily on its website. (The Quinnipiac Chronicle; The GW Hatchet)
The Paisano updates its website twice per week while publishing 1,500 copies every Tuesday. The Ubyssey is published bi-weekly on Tuesdays and updates its website daily during the school year. (The Paisano; The Ubyssey)
The GW Hatchet logs more than 37,000 views per week. Its social audience includes more than 17,800 Twitter followers, more than 7,300 Facebook subscribers, and more than 4,000 Instagram followers. These are platform-specific audience measures and should not be added together as a unique-person total. (The GW Hatchet)
The Cornell Sun reports more than 222,000 unique online visitors monthly and 1.5 million online pageviews monthly. It also lists 22,500 Twitter followers, 26,100 Facebook followers, and 12,000 Instagram followers. “Unique online visitors” and “pageviews” measure different types of activity, so the two monthly figures describe reach and page consumption rather than the same audience. (The Cornell Sun)
The combination of print and digital schedules gives each publication several publication rhythms. A weekly print run can coexist with daily web publishing, while a biweekly newspaper can maintain a daily online presence during the school year. The reported figures therefore reflect both physical distribution and recurring digital activity.
History, staffing, and funding
The publications also differ in age and organizational structure. The GW Hatchet was first published on October 5, 1904, and is described as the second-oldest continuously published newspaper in the District of Columbia. It became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1993. (The GW Hatchet)
The Cornell Sun was founded in 1880. The Gatepost has advertised since its first issue in 1932. These dates provide historical context for publications whose current circulation and digital measures sit within much longer publishing histories. (The Cornell Sun; The Gatepost)
The Paisano is staffed completely by UTSA student volunteers. It reports receiving no support from UTSA, student fees, or taxes. Those statements describe its staffing and stated funding position, rather than providing a general rule for all college newspapers. (The Paisano)
Organizational form also appears in the GW Hatchet’s nonprofit status, while the Paisano’s figures emphasize student volunteers and independence from specified university and student funding sources. Together, these examples show that campus publications can operate under materially different structures while serving student communities.
Print formats and advertising prices
The Quinnipiac Chronicle uses a five-column tabloid format. Its full page measures 10.25 inches by 15.75 inches. The Ubyssey also uses a tabloid format and prints all issues in full colour. (The Quinnipiac Chronicle; The Ubyssey)
The GW Hatchet lists advertising prices by size and color. A quarter-page black-and-white ad costs $415, while a quarter-page color ad costs $715. An eighth-page black-and-white ad costs $200, and an eighth-page color ad costs $350. (The GW Hatchet)
For larger placements, the GW Hatchet lists a full-page black-and-white ad at $1,540 and a full-page color ad at $2,530. Its half-page prices are $800 for black and white and $1,320 for color. A front-page banner ad is listed at $660. (The GW Hatchet)
The Ubyssey lists a full-page print ad at $1,450, a half-page horizontal ad at $950, a quarter-page vertical ad at $595, and an eighth-page banner ad at $295. It lists a full-page centre spread at $4,500 and a full-page back cover ad at $1,750. (The Ubyssey)
| Publication | Placement | Reported price |
|---|---|---|
| The GW Hatchet | Eighth-page black and white | $200 |
| The GW Hatchet | Eighth-page color | $350 |
| The GW Hatchet | Quarter-page black and white | $415 |
| The GW Hatchet | Quarter-page color | $715 |
| The GW Hatchet | Full-page black and white | $1,540 |
| The GW Hatchet | Full-page color | $2,530 |
| The Ubyssey | Full-page print ad | $1,450 |
| The Ubyssey | Full-page centre spread | $4,500 |
The Ubyssey’s smallest web ad unit is 1,000 impressions, and its web advertising rate is $30 CPM. It also lists packages that combine print and web exposure: one package includes a print ad with 30,000 web impressions for $2,000, while another includes a print ad with 20,000 web impressions for $1,250. (The Ubyssey)
Guides, engagement, and special measures
The Ubyssey reports a guide distribution of 12,000 copies and a guide pickup rate of 95 percent. It distributes 7,000 guide copies through campus partners, and the guide is an 80-page booklet. These figures describe a separate guide product rather than the newspaper’s reported 8,000-copy distribution. (The Ubyssey)
The Paisano reports that its average undergraduate student is 22 years old and its average graduate student is 32 years old. Those are average ages associated with the publication’s stated audience description, not age ranges or counts. (The Paisano)
The Cornell Sun’s reported market of 33,671 people, the Charlatan’s annual reach of 30,000 to 40,000 community members, and the GW Hatchet’s weekly total of more than 37,000 views illustrate why “audience” needs a defined time period and unit. One measure is a market population, another is annual community reach, and another is weekly website activity. (The Cornell Sun; The Charlatan; The GW Hatchet)
Across these publications, the most useful comparisons keep the original measurement attached: copies per issue, copies per week, locations reached, visitors per month, views per week, followers by platform, or impressions purchased. Keeping those units visible makes college newspaper statistics easier to interpret without treating unlike measures as if they were the same.