2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Communication & Journalism School for You
Communication & Journalism is the #11 most popular major in the country with 120,571 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 63 schools in the Southwest Region 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. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Communication & Journalism Schools
Our analysis found Central New Mexico Community College to be the best value school for communication and journalism students who want to pursue a degree in the Southwest Region . CNM is a fairly large public school located in the city of Albuquerque.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CNM are $7,540 a year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at CNM accumulate an average of around $6,430 in student debt.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Central New Mexico Community College
Request Information
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Phoenix - Arizona is a great value for communication and journalism students. UOPX - Arizona is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Tempe.
UOPX - Arizona undergraduate students pay an average of $9,552 in tuition and fees each year. Communication & Journalism majors at UOPX - Arizona take out an average of $44,875 in student loans while working on their egree.
UOPX - Arizona excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Phoenix - Arizona
Request Information
Out of the 63 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Austin Community College District landed the # 3 spot on the list. Austin Community College District is a very large public school located in the city of Austin.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Austin Community College District are $10,590 a year. While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at Austin Community College District accumulate an average of around $11,750 in student debt.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Austin Community College District also did well on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in the midsize city of Scottsdale, ASU - Skysong is a public college with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at ASU - Skysong are $13,092 a year. The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at ASU - Skysong take out is $25,213. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $290.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, ASU - Skysong also did well on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Request Information
Out of the 63 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 fringe town of Canyon, West Texas A&M University is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
West Texas A&M University undergraduate students pay an average of $11,208 in tuition and fees each year.
Full Communication & Journalism at West Texas A&M University Report
Request Information
Grand Canyon University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Phoenix.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Grand Canyon University are $17,189 a year. Communication & Journalism majors at Grand Canyon University take out an average of $24,184 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $148, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Grand Canyon University
Request Information
Southeastern Oklahoma State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Durant.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeastern Oklahoma State University are $15,870 per year.
Full Communication & Journalism at Southeastern Oklahoma State University Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, Sam Houston State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. Located in the distant town of Huntsville, SHSU is a public college with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at SHSU are $18,752 a year. After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from SHSU carry an average student debtload of $25,750. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $179, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
SHSU also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Request Information
With a ranking of #9, Northeastern State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and journalism students. NSU is a medium-sized public school located in the remote town of Tahlequah.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at NSU are $15,755 a year. Communication & Journalism majors at NSU take out an average of $18,339 in student loans while working on their egree.
Full Communication & Journalism at Northeastern State University Report
Request Information
MSU Texas 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. Located in the midsize city of Wichita Falls, MSU Texas is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Texas are $11,726 per year. On average, communication and journalism graduates from MSU Texas take out $31,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Request InformationAdditional Noteworthy Schools
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 Schools in the Southwest Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus | Portales, NM |
| 12 | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, OK |
Best Communication & Journalism Colleges by State
Explore the best communication and journalism schools for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 3,531 |
| Texas | 8,480 |
| New Mexico | 199 |
| Oklahoma | 1,106 |
More Communication & Journalism Rankings in the Southwest Region
Majors Related to Communication & Journalism
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.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© 2025 Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.