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2026 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in Maine

[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.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in Maine

2026 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools in Maine

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Communication & Media Studies Schools

1

University Of Southern Maine
Portland, ME

$12,090 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,623 Avg Student Debt

$49,958 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat University Of Southern Maine this year. Set in the city of Portland, University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,090, with out-of-state students paying around $29,940. Students borrow a median of $22,623 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Southern Maine generally make around $35,920. That is a strong return on a $22,623 median debt. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Maine
Orono, ME

$13,326 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,057 Avg Student Debt

$48,653 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maine earned it the #2 place for communication & media studies. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,326, compared with $36,756 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,057 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $37,192. That is a strong return on a $26,057 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.

View All Communication & Media Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 3 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.