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2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Washington

[Communications](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communications/) 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 5 schools to find the best return on investment for communications students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Communications Schools in Washington

2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Washington

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

Best Value Communications Schools

1

Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA

$9,417 In-State Tuition & Fees

$18,572 Avg Student Debt

$61,580 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Central Washington University, our #1 best value for communications in Washington. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. In-state tuition and fees average $9,417, compared with $27,526 for out-of-state students. Communications graduates carry a median of $18,572 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $35,820. Set against $18,572 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.

2

Saint Martins University
Lacey, WA

$45,510 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,818 Avg Student Debt

$62,092 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in communications will find it at Saint Martins University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Lacey, Saint Martins University is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,510. Students borrow a median of $22,818 to complete the communications program here. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from Saint Martins University generally make around $60,864. Set against $22,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Martins University admits about 90% of applicants.

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 5 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.