[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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment 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.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat John Tyler Community College this year. John Tyler Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Chester. Students from in state pay about $5,082 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,520. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $36,623. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Virginia State University, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Petersburg, Virginia State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,043, while out-of-state students pay about $22,650. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $28,000. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $23,897. That is a strong return on a $28,000 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Union University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Virginia Union University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Richmond. In-state tuition and fees average $17,830. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $31,000. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $18,076. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Virginia Union University admits about 98% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Bridgewater College, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Bridgewater, Bridgewater College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,090. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,000. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Bridgewater College earn a median of $29,477 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Bridgewater College admits about 92% of applicants.
Emory And Henry College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the rural area of Emory, Emory And Henry College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $39,000 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $26,938 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Emory And Henry College earn a median of $47,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,938 median debt. Emory And Henry College admits about 84% of applicants.
University Of Virginia Main Campus came in at #6 for value in communication & media studies this year. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. Students from in state pay about $23,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $21,230 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $47,368. That is a strong return on a $21,230 median debt. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #7 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,720, while out-of-state students pay about $39,884. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $35,808. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Commonwealth University admits about 93% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
