2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Communication & Media Studies School for You
In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received a degree or certificate, 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. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
The Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 59 schools in the Southwest Region to see which ones offered the best value 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. 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.
Top 10 Best Communication & Media Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Central New Mexico Community College the best value school in the Southwest Region for communication and media studies students. CNM is a fairly large public school located in the city of Albuquerque.
CNM undergraduate students pay an average of $7,540 in tuition and fees each year. Communications majors at CNM take out an average of $6,430 in student loans while working on their egree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region list. UOPX - Arizona is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Tempe.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UOPX - Arizona are $9,552 per year. After completing their degree, communications graduates from UOPX - Arizona carry an average student debtload of $44,875.
UOPX - Arizona also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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The excellent programs at Arizona State University - Skysong helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best communication and media studies schools in the Southwest Region . Located in the medium-sized 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. After completing their degree, communications graduates from ASU - Skysong carry an average student debtload of $22,750. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $290, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, ASU - Skysong also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Arizona State University - Skysong
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Austin Community College District. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region list. Austin Community College District is a fairly large public school located in the city of Austin.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Austin Community College District are $10,590 per year.
Austin Community College District excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region list.
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Out of the 59 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, West Texas A&M University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the town of Canyon, West Texas A&M University is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
West Texas A&M University undergraduate students pay an average of $11,208 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at West Texas A&M University
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Grand Canyon University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Grand Canyon University is a fairly large private for-profit school located in the city of Phoenix.
Grand Canyon University undergraduate students pay an average of $17,189 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at Grand Canyon University take out is $26,492. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $148.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Grand Canyon University
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Southeastern Oklahoma State University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value communication and media studies programs. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Durant.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University are $15,870 a year.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
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With a ranking of #8, Sam Houston State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students. Located in the town of Huntsville, SHSU is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at SHSU are $18,752 a year. Communications majors at SHSU take out an average of $25,750 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $179.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SHSU also is in the top 20% of our Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region ranking.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Sam Houston State University
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Northeastern State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for communication and media studies students. It came in at #9 on the list. NSU is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Tahlequah.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NSU are $15,755 per year.
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MSU Texas came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in the medium-sized city of Wichita Falls, MSU Texas is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Texas are $11,726 per year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at MSU Texas take out is $31,000.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at MSU Texas
Request InformationBest Communication & Media Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best communication and media studies colleges for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Texas | 4,091 |
| Arizona | 2,246 |
| Oklahoma | 325 |
| New Mexico | 129 |
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings in the Southwest Region
Communication & Media Studies Related Majors for Communications
Communication & Media Studies is one of 5 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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