[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Ohio University Lancaster Campus tops our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools in Ohio. Located in the rural area of Lancaster, Ohio University Lancaster Campus is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,362, while out-of-state students pay about $9,444. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $24,063 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Ohio University Lancaster Campus generally make around $43,312. Set against $24,063 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Miami University Hamilton is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Hamilton, Miami University Hamilton is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,012 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,811 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $21,500. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Miami University Hamilton earn a median of $45,240 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Wright State University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the suburb of Dayton, Wright State University Main Campus is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,991, with out-of-state students paying around $20,691. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Wright State University Main Campus generally make around $33,171. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Otterbein University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Otterbein University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Westerville. In-state tuition and fees average $35,548. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $18,500 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Otterbein University earn a median of $31,207 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Otterbein University admits about 84% of applicants.
Heidelberg University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the town of Tiffin, Heidelberg University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $33,600 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,000. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $42,334. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Ohio University Main Campus placed #6 among the best values for communication & media studies. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $24,063 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $36,666 early in their careers. Set against $24,063 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
The College Of Wooster ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. The College Of Wooster is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Wooster. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,640. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $22,681 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $39,527. Set against $22,681 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus came in at #8 for value in communication & media studies this year. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Students borrow a median of $20,869 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $39,953. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Miami University Oxford ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $17,519 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,965. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Miami University Oxford generally make around $34,959. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Miami University Oxford admits about 75% of applicants.
Denison University came in at #10 for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the suburb of Granville, Denison University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,000 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,187. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Denison University earn a median of $47,396 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,187 median debt. The acceptance rate is 17%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
