[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 2027 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:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Snow College earned the #1 spot for value among communication & media studies schools in Utah. Located in the town of Ephraim, Snow College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,338 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,288. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $10,440 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $42,776. Set against $10,440 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Brigham Young University Provo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Students from in state pay about $6,688 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $22,530 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $46,747. That is a strong return on a $22,530 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Dixie State College Of Utah earned it the #3 place for communication & media studies. Dixie State College Of Utah is a large public school located in the city of Saint George. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,306, while out-of-state students pay about $18,246. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $20,500. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $32,815. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
View All Communication & Media Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.
