Goldberg grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and fell in love with journalism when in the eighth grade she wrote a paper entitled "Opportunities in Journalism."[6] Goldberg thinks her career success began as a 20-year-old at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, when she was hired from an 8-week internship into full-time job as a reporter.[7] To take the job at the paper Goldberg dropped out of college.[8] Goldberg eventually graduated from Michigan State University in 1987 with a BA in journalism.[9] She has since established the Susan Goldberg Scholarship.[10] She is a member of the Alumni Board of Directors in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.[9] In 2015 Goldberg returned to Michigan State to deliver the commencement speech.[11]