[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) 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 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Tacoma Campus the best value for a degree in communication & media studies in Washington. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Tacoma. In-state tuition and fees average $13,168, compared with $43,404 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $16,433. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $44,638. That is a strong return on a $16,433 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Washington Bothell Campus one of the best values for communication & media studies. University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Bothell. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,919, while out-of-state students pay about $43,155. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $16,433. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Washington Bothell Campus generally make around $44,638. That is a strong return on a $16,433 median debt. University Of Washington Bothell Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
Washington State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. In-state tuition and fees average $13,391, compared with $29,950 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $21,903. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $50,300. That is a strong return on a $21,903 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
