2027 Best Value Photojournalism Schools
[Photojournalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/photojournalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for photojournalism students.
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Finding the Best Value Photojournalism School for You
Where you study photojournalism affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we developed our Best Value Photojournalism Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Learn more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Photojournalism Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2027 Best Value Photojournalism Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in photojournalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Photojournalism Schools
Western Kentucky University earned the #1 spot for value among photojournalism schools in the United States. Western Kentucky University is a large public school located in the city of Bowling Green. In-state tuition and fees average $11,652, compared with $27,000 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for photojournalism graduates is $25,500. Photojournalism graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median of $35,050 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Michigan University earned it the #2 place for photojournalism. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Typical student debt for photojournalism graduates is $27,000. Early-career photojournalism graduates make about $25,033. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in photojournalism will find it at University Of Central Oklahoma, which ranked #3. University Of Central Oklahoma is a large public school located in the suburb of Edmond. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,818, while out-of-state students pay about $19,704. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the photojournalism program here. Photojournalism graduates of University Of Central Oklahoma earn a median of $28,139 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Central Oklahoma admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kent State University At Kent earned it the #4 place for photojournalism. Kent State University At Kent is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kent. In-state tuition and fees average $12,220, compared with $21,575 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for photojournalism graduates is $25,000. Early-career photojournalism graduates make about $44,776. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in photojournalism will find it at Ohio University Main Campus, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Photojournalism graduates carry a median of $24,208 in student loans. Early-career photojournalism graduates make about $38,246. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio University Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Columbia College Chicago landed the #6 spot for photojournalism value this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,088. Typical student debt for photojournalism graduates is $26,000. Photojournalism graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $31,369 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Columbia College Chicago admits about 90% of applicants.
George Washington University placed #7 among the best values for photojournalism. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,710. Photojournalism graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Photojournalism graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $52,015 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
Syracuse University landed the #8 spot for photojournalism value this year. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Photojournalism graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, photojournalism degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $41,307. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Syracuse University admits about 46% of applicants.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Photojournalism. Browse the parent area of study.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
