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Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region

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2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

140 Colleges
$17,167 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$32,706 Avg Salary

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

With 66,787 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, communication and media studies is the #10 most popular major in the United States.

It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This report analyzed 140 schools in the Southeast Region to see which ones offered the best value bachelor's degree programs for communications students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region

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

Top 15% Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools

Our 2023 rankings named University of North Carolina at Pembroke the best value school in the Southeast Region for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the town of Pembroke, UNC Pembroke is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UNC Pembroke are $7,495 a year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at UNC Pembroke take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $26,870. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $127.

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

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Florida State College at Jacksonville is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. FSCJ is a very large public school located in the large city of Jacksonville.

FSCJ undergraduate students pay an average of $9,631 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at FSCJ take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $28,100.

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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Western Carolina University is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. WCU is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Cullowhee.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WCU are $8,367 a year. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $166.

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#4

Nicholls State University

Thibodaux, LA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Nicholls State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the small city of Thibodaux, Nicholls State University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Nicholls State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,039 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Nicholls State University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arkansas State University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the city of Jonesboro, A-State is a public school with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at A-State are $12,698 per year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at A-State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $25,661.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Arkansas State University - Main Campus Report

University of North Georgia landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. UNG is a fairly large public school located in the town of Dahlonega.

UNG undergraduate students pay an average of $16,014 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from UNG carry an average student debtload of $21,550.

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

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Appalachian State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Appalachian State are $23,017 a year. Communications majors at Appalachian State take out an average of $21,282 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $150, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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

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University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. USF Tampa is a fairly large public school located in the city of Tampa.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at USF Tampa are $17,324 a year. Communications majors at USF Tampa take out an average of $22,616 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 $181.

USF Tampa excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list.

Full Communication & Media Studies at University of South Florida - Main Campus Report

#9

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA

Liberty University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Liberty University are $16,160 per year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from Liberty University carry an average student debtload of $23,481. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $529.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Liberty University

Mississippi University for Women 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. MUW is a small public school located in the remote town of Columbus.

MUW undergraduate students pay an average of $7,756 in tuition and fees each year.

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#11

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

University of Memphis 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 large city of Memphis, UofM is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UofM are $14,088 a year. On average, communications graduates from UofM take out $28,281 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Memphis

#12

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS

Jackson State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the city of Jackson, Jackson State is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Jackson State are $9,445 a year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at Jackson State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $33,143.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Jackson State University

#13

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC

East Carolina University landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. Located in the small city of Greenville, ECU is a public college with a fairly large student population.

ECU undergraduate students pay an average of $23,574 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communications graduates from ECU take out $22,625 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $298, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, ECU also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

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#14

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA

James Madison University landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. JMU is a very large public school located in the small city of Harrisonburg.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JMU are $29,564 per year. Communications majors at JMU take out an average of $20,130 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $440, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

JMU 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 in the Southeast Region list.

Full Communication & Media Studies at James Madison University Report

#15

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS

With a ranking of #15, Mississippi College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. MC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Clinton.

MC undergraduate students pay an average of $20,364 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Mississippi College Report

With a ranking of #16, University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. UNC Charlotte is a fairly large public school located in the city of Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte undergraduate students pay an average of $20,622 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communications graduates from UNC Charlotte take out $24,008 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 $177.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of Southern Mississippi ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the city of Hattiesburg, Southern Miss is a public school with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southern Miss are $11,204 a year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Southern Mississippi

Florida International University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the suburb of Miami, FIU is a public college with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at FIU are $18,963 a year. Communications majors at FIU take out an average of $21,385 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 $59.

Full Communication & Media Studies at Florida International University Report

#19

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, FL

University of North Florida ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. UNF is a large public school located in the city of Jacksonville.

UNF undergraduate students pay an average of $19,407 in tuition and fees each year. Communications majors at UNF take out an average of $18,720 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $107, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Louisiana State University is a fairly large public school located in the city of Baton Rouge.

Louisiana State University undergraduate students pay an average of $28,635 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communications graduates from Louisiana State University take out $20,954 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $296, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

In addition to its great value ranking, Louisiana State University is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list.

Read More…

#21

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, TN

East Tennessee State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the city of Johnson City, ETSU is a public school with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ETSU are $12,740 per year. Communications majors at ETSU take out an average of $23,316 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $210, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at East Tennessee State University

Honorable Mentions

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

Rank College Location
22 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
23 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
23 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
25 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR
26 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
26 Columbus State University Columbus, GA
28 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
28 University of Georgia Athens, GA

Best Communication & Media Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best communication and media studies schools for a specific state in the Southeast region.

State Degrees Awarded
Georgia 795
Virginia 2,064
North Carolina 2,972
Florida 3,020
Tennessee 1,000
Kentucky 787
South Carolina 796
Louisiana 815
Arkansas 457
Alabama 968
Mississippi 307
West Virginia 214

One of 5 majors within the area of study, communication and media studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

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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