[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 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.
Leading the list is University Of Northern Iowa, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,387 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $40,558. That is a strong return on a $19,387 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Loras College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Dubuque, Loras College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,824. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,166. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Loras College generally make around $36,821. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 100%.
A rank of #3 makes Wartburg College one of the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the town of Waverly, Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $26,250. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,750. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Wartburg College earn a median of $40,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 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.
