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2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region

21 Ranked Colleges
1,758 Degrees Awarded
$17,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Journalism is the 69th most popular major in the country with 13,552 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,953 and had an average of $23,734 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 1,758 journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,691 and $23,007 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent journalism programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the journalism program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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The journalism school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region.

Top 21 Best Value Colleges for Journalism in the Southwest Region

1

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Texas landed the #1 spot on the list. Denton, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 299 students in 2020-2021.

UNT also made our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Texas is $14,122 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at University of North Texas

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 279 ’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

University of Oklahoma not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $21,122 for southwest region journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Journalism at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Austin Community College District. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region. Austin Community College District is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 22 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Austin Community College District also took the #11 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Community College District is $7,224 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at Austin Community College District

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Texas A&M University. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. West Texas A&M University is a medium-sized school located in Canyon, Texas that handed out 8 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region journalism students list, West Texas A&M University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $15,033 for Southwest Region Journalism students per year to attend West Texas A&M University.

Read full report on Journalism at West Texas A&M University

5
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Houston. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 84 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UH also took the #9 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UH is $13,721 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Journalism at UH

6

University of Central Oklahoma did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Edmond, Oklahoma, and it awarded 60 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UCO also took the #14 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Oklahoma is $17,339 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

Full University of Central Oklahoma Journalism Report

7

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #7. Arizona State University - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 236 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $13,107 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Journalism at ASU - Tempe

8
NSU crest
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, Oklahoma

With a ranking of #8, Northeastern State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

NSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NSU is $10,094 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at NSU

9

University of New Mexico - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region journalism students list, UNM has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus is $14,424 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at UNM

10

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.

OSU also took the #12 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is $14,237 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at OSU

11
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

Texas Tech also made our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech University is $16,194 for southwest region journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Journalism at Texas Tech University

12
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. NAU is a public institution located in Flagstaff, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend NAU is $14,308 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Northern Arizona University

13
Angelo State crest
Angelo State University
San Angelo, Texas

Angelo State University landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in San Angelo, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

Angelo State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Angelo State is $13,184 for southwest region journalism students.

Read full report on Journalism at Angelo State

14

With a ranking of #14, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 181 students in 2020-2021.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $18,350 for southwest region journalism students per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at UT Austin

15
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #15. Located in San Marcos, Texas, this large public school awarded 38 diplomas to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region journalism students list, Texas State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas State is $14,887 for southwest region journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at Texas State University

16
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #16, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 94 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $13,358 for southwest region journalism students.

Read full report on Journalism at University of Arizona

17

New Mexico State University - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

NMSU Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NMSU Main Campus is $10,428 for southwest region journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at NMSU Main Campus

18

Texas Southern University landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. TSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 22 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

TSU also made our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $17,914 for Southwest Region Journalism students per year to attend Texas Southern University.

Full Texas Southern University Journalism Report

19
Baylor crest
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

With a ranking of #19, Baylor University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region list. Baylor University is a large school located in Waco, Texas that handed out 77 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region journalism students list, Baylor has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Baylor University is $37,309 for Southwest Region Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Journalism at Baylor

20
TCU crest
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Christian University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 27 degrees to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at TCU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas Christian University is $39,942 for southwest region journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Journalism at Texas Christian University

21

Southern Methodist University landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Value Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 52 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

SMU also made our “Best Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $38,208 for southwest region journalism students per year to attend SMU.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at SMU

Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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