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Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools

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2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

655 Colleges
$12,745 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$32,706 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree School for You

In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received their degrees and certificates, making the major the #10 most popular in the country.

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

The Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 655 schools in the United States to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best value experiences for communications students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the United States

The following schools top our list of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges.

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for a Bachelor's in Communication & Media Studies

Our analysis found Colorado State University - Global Campus to be the best value school for communication and media studies students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the United States. Located in the large city of Greenwood Village, Colorado State University - Global Campus is a public school with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Colorado State University - Global Campus are $8,400 a year. On average, communications graduates from Colorado State University - Global Campus take out $30,069 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Colorado State University - Global Campus excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Colorado State University - Global Campus

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Provo, BYU is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU are $6,120 per year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Brigham Young University - Provo

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Brigham Young University - Idaho is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the town of Rexburg, BYU - I is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.

BYU - I undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from BYU - I carry an average student debtload of $15,995.

Read More…

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Phoenix - Arizona is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. UOPX - Arizona is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Tempe.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UOPX - Arizona are $9,552 a year. Communications majors at UOPX - Arizona take out an average of $41,343 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UOPX - Arizona also is in the top 20% of our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Phoenix - Arizona Report

#5

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Bellevue University is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Bellevue University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Bellevue.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bellevue University are $8,310 per year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at Bellevue University take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $29,618.

Bellevue University also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Bellevue University Report

#6

Wayne State College

Wayne, NE

Wayne State College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. WSC is a small public school located in the distant town of Wayne.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WSC are $7,458 per year.

Read More…

University of Maryland Global Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. UMGC is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Adelphi.

UMGC undergraduate students pay an average of $12,336 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at UMGC take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $27,014.

In addition to its great value ranking, UMGC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Maryland Global Campus Report

Metropolitan State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Metro State is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Metro State undergraduate students pay an average of $9,394 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at Metro State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $33,749.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Metropolitan State University Report

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the midsize city of Scottsdale, ASU - Skysong is a public college with a fairly large student population.

ASU - Skysong undergraduate students pay an average of $13,092 in tuition and fees each year. Communications majors at ASU - Skysong take out an average of $24,308 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $290.

ASU - Skysong excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Arizona State University - Skysong

#10

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, NY

The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at The Graduate Center are $15,360 a year. Communications majors at The Graduate Center take out an average of $25,205 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

In addition to its great value ranking, The Graduate Center is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The Graduate Center, CUNY

South Dakota State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the remote town of Brookings, South Dakota State is a public school with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Dakota State are $12,809 per year.

South Dakota State also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at South Dakota State University

#13

Wilmington University

New Castle, DE

Wilmington University landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. Wilmington University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of New Castle.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Wilmington University are $11,760 per year.

Wilmington University also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Wilmington University Report

Western Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WIU are $13,297 per year.

Read More…

#15

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

University of South Dakota ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. USD is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Vermillion.

USD undergraduate students pay an average of $12,942 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from USD carry an average student debtload of $23,242. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $175.

Read More…

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. SIUE is a large public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at SIUE are $11,496 a year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, communications majors at SIUE accumulate an average of around $24,274 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $198, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #17 on the list. Located in the fringe town of Kutztown, Kutztown University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Kutztown University undergraduate students pay an average of $15,170 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, communications majors at Kutztown University accumulate an average of around $26,296 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $338, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Report

#18

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN

Bemidji State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the town of Bemidji, Bemidji State University is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bemidji State University are $9,806 per year. On average, communications graduates from Bemidji State University take out $21,664 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Bemidji State University also is in the top 15% of our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking.

Read More…

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #19 on the list. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school located in the city of Oshkosh.

UW Oshkosh undergraduate students pay an average of $15,306 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communications graduates from UW Oshkosh take out $24,875 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read More…

With a ranking of #20, University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. UNC Pembroke is a medium-sized public school located in the distant town of Pembroke.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UNC Pembroke are $7,495 per year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, communications majors at UNC Pembroke accumulate an average of around $26,870 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $127.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Pembroke Report

#21

Winona State University

Winona, MN

Winona State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the town of Winona, Winona State is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Winona State are $16,684 per year. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $158, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Winona State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Winona State University Report

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Whitewater.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Whitewater are $16,602 a year. On average, communications graduates from UW - Whitewater take out $23,720 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $260.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - Whitewater also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Report

Florida State College at Jacksonville landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. Located in the large city of Jacksonville, FSCJ is a public college with a very large student population.

FSCJ undergraduate students pay an average of $9,631 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, communications majors at FSCJ accumulate an average of around $28,100 in student debt.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Florida State College at Jacksonville Report

#24

Truman State University

Kirksville, MO

Truman State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the remote town of Kirksville, Truman State is a public college with a small student population.

Truman State undergraduate students pay an average of $16,410 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

With a ranking of #25, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public school located in the small city of La Crosse.

UW - La Crosse undergraduate students pay an average of $18,014 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at UW - La Crosse take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $21,686. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $113, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - La Crosse also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Report

Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools

#26

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI
#27

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC
#33

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND
#35

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL
#36

Nicholls State University

Thibodaux, LA
#38

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA
#38

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA
#40

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN
#46

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX
#48

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

Remaining Award Winners

This section shows the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 655 different United States communication and media studies schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
49 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
52 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
53 University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA
54 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
55 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
56 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
57 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
58 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
59 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
60 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
61 MSU Texas Wichita Falls, TX
62 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
63 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
63 Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS
65 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
66 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
67 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
68 Jackson State University Jackson, MS
69 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
70 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
71 Weber State University Ogden, UT
72 Emporia State University Emporia, KS
73 Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI
73 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
75 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
76 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
76 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
78 Mississippi College Clinton, MS
78 Iowa State University Ames, IA
78 Illinois State University Normal, IL
78 Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN
78 Walden University Minneapolis, MN
83 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
83 Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN
85 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
85 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
85 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
88 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
89 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
89 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
91 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
92 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
93 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
94 Florida International University Miami, FL
94 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
94 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
94 Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO
98 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX
98 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
98 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great value schools for Communication & Media Studies students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
101 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
101 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
101 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
104 Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH
104 SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY
104 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
107 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA
108 Baruch College New York, NY
109 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
109 Worcester State University Worcester, MA
111 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
111 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
113 Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
113 Indiana University - Kokomo Kokomo, IN
113 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN
116 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
116 Purdue University Global Indianapolis, IN
116 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
119 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, PA
120 Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ
121 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
122 The College at Brockport Brockport, NY
123 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
123 Miami University - Middletown Middletown, OH
123 Towson University Towson, MD
126 Colorado State University - Pueblo Pueblo, CO
126 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
128 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
128 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
128 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
131 Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX

Communication & Media Studies by Region

View the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Communication & Media Studies is one of 5 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Relations & Advertising 21,099
Radio, Television & Digital Communication 17,669
Journalism 13,552
Communication & Journalism (Other) 1,128
Publishing 336

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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