2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Maryland

[Communications](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communications/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communications students.
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2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Maryland
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
For return on investment in communications, no school beat Frostburg State University this year. Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Frostburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,220, while out-of-state students pay about $25,814. Communications graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Communications graduates of Frostburg State University earn a median of $28,720 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Frostburg State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communications will find it at Towson University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,728, compared with $29,820 for out-of-state students. Communications graduates carry a median of $20,309 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $42,657. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Stevenson University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communications, landing the #3 spot this year. Stevenson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Owings Mills. Students from in state pay about $40,560 in tuition and fees. Communications graduates carry a median of $27,042 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $42,647. That is a strong return on a $27,042 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
More Communications Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 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.