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2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Master's Degree Schools

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

322 Colleges
$10,163 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$47,415 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Communication & Journalism Master's Degree 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.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Communication & Journalism Master's Degree Schools ranking. This report analyzed 322 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value master's degree programs for communication and journalism students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

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.

2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools in the United States

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for communication and journalism majors pursuing a master's degree.

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for a Master's in Communication & Journalism

#1

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA

Our 2023 rankings named La Salle University the best value school in the United States for communication and journalism students working on their master’s degree. Located in the city of Philadelphia, La Salle is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

La Salle graduate students pay an average of $1,455 in tuition and fees each year.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia College Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. Columbia is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Columbia are $2,350 a year.

Read More…

Out of the 322 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the # 3 spot on the list. BYU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at BYU are $7,700 per year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU also is in the top 20% of our Best Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools ranking.

Full Communication & Journalism at Brigham Young University - Provo Report

#4

Drake University

Des Moines, IA

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Drake University is a great value for communication and journalism students working on their master’s degree. Located in the medium-sized city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Drake graduate students pay an average of $11,988 in tuition and fees each year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, Drake also did well on our Best Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Communication & Journalism at Drake University Report

#5

Ashland University

Ashland, OH

The excellent master’s degree programs at Ashland University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value communication and journalism schools in the United States. Ashland is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Ashland.

Ashland graduate students pay an average of $6,972 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Communication & Journalism at Ashland University Report

#6

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI

Spring Arbor University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Spring Arbor is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Spring Arbor.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Spring Arbor are $8,383 per year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Spring Arbor University

#7

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, IA

University of Dubuque came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools ranking. UD is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Dubuque.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UD are $7,940 per year.

Full Communication & Journalism at University of Dubuque Report

Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.

Concordia University, Saint Paul graduate students pay an average of $8,550 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Communication & Journalism at Concordia University, Saint Paul Report

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Fargo, North Dakota State University is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at North Dakota State University are $12,028 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Dakota State University also is in the top 20% of our Best Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools ranking.

Read More…

#10

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA

Gonzaga University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the medium-sized city of Spokane, Gonzaga is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Gonzaga are $14,878 per year.

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

Full Communication & Journalism at Gonzaga University Report

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree communication and journalism programs. Minnesota State Mankato is a large public school located in the small city of Mankato.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Minnesota State Mankato are $9,308 a year.

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

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Minnesota State University - Mankato

#12

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, MA

Fitchburg State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the midsize suburb of Fitchburg, Fitchburg State is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Fitchburg State graduate students pay an average of $6,012 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Fitchburg State University

#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 working on their master’s degree. Located in the large suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Bellevue University graduate students pay an average of $11,730 in tuition and fees each year.

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West Texas A&M University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. West Texas A&M University is a medium-sized public school located in the fringe town of Canyon.

West Texas A&M University graduate students pay an average of $8,574 in tuition and fees each year.

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#15

St. Bonaventure University

Saint Bonaventure, NY

St. Bonaventure University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. St. Bonaventure is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Saint Bonaventure.

St. Bonaventure graduate students pay an average of $15,192 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Communication & Journalism at St. Bonaventure University Report

#16

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH

Youngstown State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Youngstown State University is a large public school located in the small city of Youngstown.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Youngstown State University are $6,931 a year.

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Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #17 on the list. ASU - Skysong is a very large public school located in the midsize city of Scottsdale.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at ASU - Skysong are $9,982 a year.

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

Illinois State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Illinois State are $11,773 per year.

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

Read More…

Northern Illinois University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, NIU is a public school with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at NIU are $11,390 per year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northern Illinois University

#20

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

University of South Dakota did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in the distant town of Vermillion, USD is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at USD are $12,768 a year.

USD also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Full Communication & Journalism at University of South Dakota Report

#21

Asbury University

Wilmore, KY

Asbury University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Asbury is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Wilmore.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Asbury are $9,990 per year.

Full Communication & Journalism at Asbury University Report

Universidad del Sagrado Corazon landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree communication and journalism programs. Sagrado is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Santurce.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Sagrado are $5,535 a year.

Read More…

#23

University of Delaware

Newark, DE

University of Delaware landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree communication and journalism programs. UD is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Newark.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UD are $18,128 per year.

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

Full Communication & Journalism at University of Delaware Report

#24

Bellarmine University

Louisville, KY

Bellarmine University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and journalism students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Bellarmine U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Louisville.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Bellarmine U are $13,652 per year.

Read More…

With a ranking of #25, South Dakota State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students working on their master’s degree. South Dakota State is a large public school located in the town of Brookings.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at South Dakota State are $16,917 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, South Dakota State also is in the top 15% of our Best Communication & Journalism Master’s Degree Schools ranking.

Read More…

Rest of the Top Best Value Communication & Journalism Master's Degree Schools

#26

University of Dayton

Dayton, OH
#27

Biola University

La Mirada, CA
#28

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN
#29

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT
#30

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN
#32

John Carroll University

University Heights, OH
#33

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ
#34

Westminster College Utah

Salt Lake City, UT
#34

Marist College

Poughkeepsie, NY
#37

Villanova University

Villanova, PA
#38

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO
#39

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ
#40

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA
#43

Lasell University

Newton, MA
#46

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Communication & Journalism Master's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
49 University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI
50 Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD
51 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
52 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
52 Webster University Saint Louis, MO
52 University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH
55 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT
56 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
57 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus Teaneck, NJ
58 Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN
58 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
60 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
61 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
61 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH
63 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
64 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX

Communication & Journalism by Region

View the Best Value Communication & Journalism Master'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 & 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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