[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat University Of North Alabama this year. University Of North Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Florence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,120, while out-of-state students pay about $22,320. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $21,000. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of North Alabama generally make around $30,182. That is a strong return on a $21,000 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Alabama is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,180 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $50,740. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Auburn University one of the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,890 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,675 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $35,929. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Samford University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Birmingham, Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $40,150 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $21,039. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $39,690. That is a strong return on a $21,039 median debt. Samford University admits about 82% of applicants.
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
