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Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools

2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

753 Colleges
$13,334 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$34,266 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Communication & Journalism School for You

In 2020-2021, 120,571 people earned a degree or certificate in communication and journalism, making the major the #11 most popular in the United States.

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 753 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best value experiences for communication and journalism students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. 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.

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

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Communication & Journalism

#1

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA
$33,150 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found La Salle University to be the best value school for communication and journalism students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. Located in the city of Philadelphia, La Salle is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at La Salle are $33,150 per year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at La Salle accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $459.

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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 & Journalism Schools list. BYU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU are $6,120 per year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at BYU accumulate an average of around $11,887 in student debt.

BYU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list.

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Out of the 753 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Colorado State University - Global Campus landed the # 3 spot on the list. Colorado State University - Global Campus is a fairly large public school located in the city of Greenwood Village.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Colorado State University - Global Campus are $8,400 a year. The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at Colorado State University - Global Campus take out is $31,905.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Colorado State University - Global Campus also is in the top 10% of our Best Communication & Journalism Schools ranking.

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$4,416 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. BYU - I is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Rexburg.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU - I are $4,416 per year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from BYU - I take out $14,750 in student loans while working on their degree.

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$7,540 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Central New Mexico Community College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. Located in the city of Albuquerque, CNM is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CNM are $7,540 a year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from CNM carry an average student debtload of $6,430.

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#6

Cabrini University

Radnor, PA
$33,845 Average Tuition & Fees

Cabrini University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value communication and journalism programs. Cabrini University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Radnor.

Cabrini University undergraduate students pay an average of $33,845 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from Cabrini University carry an average student debtload of $27,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $348.

Full Communication & Journalism at Cabrini University Report

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#7

Franklin University

Columbus, OH
$9,577 Average Tuition & Fees

Franklin University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for communication and journalism students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the large city of Columbus, Franklin University is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.

Franklin University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,577 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from Franklin University take out $40,666 in student loans while working on their degree.

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University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value communication and journalism programs. Located in the large city of Tempe, UOPX - Arizona is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.

UOPX - Arizona undergraduate students pay an average of $9,552 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at UOPX - Arizona accumulate an average of around $44,875 in student debt.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UOPX - Arizona also is in the top 20% of our Best Communication & Journalism Schools ranking.

Full Communication & Journalism at University of Phoenix - Arizona Report

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#9

LaGuardia Community College

Long Island City, NY
$8,098 Average Tuition & Fees

LaGuardia Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for communication and journalism students. It came in at #9 on the list. LaGuardia is a large public school located in the large city of Long Island City.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LaGuardia are $8,098 per year. Communication & Journalism majors at LaGuardia take out an average of $6,461 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#10

Wayne State College

Wayne, NE

Wayne State College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. Located in the town of Wayne, WSC is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WSC are $7,458 per year. The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at WSC take out is $23,407.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, WSC also did well on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Communication & Journalism at Wayne State College Report

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With a ranking of #11, University of Maryland Global Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. Located in the large suburb of Adelphi, UMGC is a public college with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UMGC are $12,336 per year. Communication & Journalism majors at UMGC take out an average of $26,897 in student loans while working on their egree.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UMGC also did well on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Communication & Journalism at University of Maryland Global Campus Report

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#12

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN

With a ranking of #12, Metropolitan State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. Metro State is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Saint Paul.

Metro State undergraduate students pay an average of $9,394 in tuition and fees each year. Communication & Journalism majors at Metro State take out an average of $34,724 in student loans while working on their egree.

Metro State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list.

Full Communication & Journalism at Metropolitan State University Report

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#13

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE

With a ranking of #13, Bellevue University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. Located in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.

Bellevue University undergraduate students pay an average of $8,310 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at Bellevue University accumulate an average of around $26,083 in student debt.

In addition to its great value ranking, Bellevue University is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list.

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$8,050 Average Tuition & Fees

Borough of Manhattan Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. BMCC is a fairly large public school located in the city of New York.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at BMCC are $8,050 a year. Communication & Journalism majors at BMCC take out an average of $8,821 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Communication & Journalism at Borough of Manhattan Community College Report

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Austin Community College District came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools ranking. Located in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a public college with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Austin Community College District are $10,590 per year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from Austin Community College District carry an average student debtload of $11,750.

Full Communication & Journalism at Austin Community College District Report

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#16

Wilmington University

New Castle, DE
$11,760 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #16, Wilmington University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. Located in the suburb of New Castle, Wilmington University is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Wilmington University undergraduate students pay an average of $11,760 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from Wilmington University take out $29,496 in student loans while working on their degree.

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Arizona State University - Skysong ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. ASU - Skysong is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Scottsdale.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ASU - Skysong are $13,092 per year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from ASU - Skysong take out $25,213 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $290.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, ASU - Skysong also is in the top 15% of our Best Communication & Journalism Schools ranking.

Full Communication & Journalism at Arizona State University - Skysong Report

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South Dakota State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. South Dakota State is a large public school located in the town of Brookings.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Dakota State are $12,809 per year. The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at South Dakota State take out is $27,000.

In addition to its great value ranking, South Dakota State is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list.

Full Communication & Journalism at South Dakota State University Report

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#19

San Diego Mesa College

San Diego, CA
$8,512 Average Tuition & Fees

San Diego Mesa College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for communication and journalism students. It came in at #19 on the list. San Diego Mesa College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of San Diego.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at San Diego Mesa College are $8,512 a year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from San Diego Mesa College carry an average student debtload of $5,750.

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North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools list. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University is a public school with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at North Dakota State University are $14,876 a year. Communication & Journalism majors at North Dakota State University take out an average of $24,750 in student loans while working on their egree.

North Dakota State University excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list.

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#22

University of Florida-Online

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida-Online came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools ranking. Located in the city of Gainesville, UF Online is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UF Online are $16,579 a year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from UF Online take out $17,911 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $238.

UF Online also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

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#23

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

University of South Dakota came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools ranking. Located in the town of Vermillion, USD is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at USD are $12,942 a year. Communication & Journalism majors at USD take out an average of $24,250 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $175.

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University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for communication and journalism students. It came in at #24 on the list. Located in the distant town of Kearney, UNK is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UNK are $15,320 a year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at UNK accumulate an average of around $25,000 in student debt.

Full Communication & Journalism at University of Nebraska at Kearney Report

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$11,496 Average Tuition & Fees

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools ranking. Located in the large suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public college with a large student population.

SIUE undergraduate students pay an average of $11,496 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from SIUE carry an average student debtload of $22,203. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $198, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Communication & Journalism at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Report

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Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools

#28

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN
#29

Nassau Community College

Garden City, NY
#31

Southern Maine Community College

South Portland, ME
#33

Winona State University

Winona, MN
#36

Truman State University

Kirksville, MO
#38

Purdue University Global

Indianapolis, IN
#42

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI
#46

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, NY
#48

Drake University

Des Moines, IA
#50

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL

Additional Award Winners

This section shows the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 753 different United States communication and journalism schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH
52 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
53 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
54 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
55 Baker College Owosso, MI
56 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
57 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
58 Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH
59 University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH
59 Concordia University, Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN
61 Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA
62 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA
63 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
64 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
64 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
66 California State University - Channel Islands Camarillo, CA
66 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
68 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
69 Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK
70 University of Wisconsin - Parkside Kenosha, WI
71 California University of Pennsylvania California, PA
72 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
73 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
74 Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH
74 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
76 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
76 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
78 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
79 St. Bonaventure University Saint Bonaventure, NY
80 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
81 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
81 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
83 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
83 Walden University Minneapolis, MN
85 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
85 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
85 Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
88 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
88 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
88 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
91 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
91 Rust College Holly Springs, MS
93 MSU Texas Wichita Falls, TX
93 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
93 Illinois State University Normal, IL
96 Miami University - Middletown Middletown, OH
97 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
98 University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA
98 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
98 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
98 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
102 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
102 Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS
104 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
105 Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN
105 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
107 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
107 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
107 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
110 Mississippi College Clinton, MS
110 Jackson State University Jackson, MS
112 Westminster College Utah Salt Lake City, UT
112 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
112 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
112 Iowa State University Ames, IA

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great value schools for Communication & Journalism students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools award.

Rank College Location
116 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
116 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
116 Emporia State University Emporia, KS
119 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
119 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
121 National University La Jolla, CA
122 Ashland University Ashland, OH
123 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
124 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
124 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
124 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
127 Florida International University Miami, FL
127 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
127 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH
130 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
130 Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA
132 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
133 Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN
134 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
135 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
136 Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
136 Weber State University Ogden, UT
138 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
139 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
139 Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI
141 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
141 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
143 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
144 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
145 Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY
145 University of Mississippi University, MS
145 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
148 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX
148 Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO
148 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY

Communication & Journalism by Region

View the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a specific region near you.

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

Communication & Journalism Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Communication & Media Studies 66,787
Public Relations & Advertising 21,099
Radio, Television & Digital Communication 17,669
Journalism 13,552
Communication & Journalism (Other) 1,128
Publishing 336

Majors Similar to Communication & Journalism

Related Major Annual Graduates
Education 327,871
Social Sciences 205,984
Psychology 195,678
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences 55,820
History 32,731

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 Josh Hallett.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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