2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Florida

[Communications](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communications/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for communications students.
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2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communications, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Communications Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Florida, our #1 best value for communications in Florida. University Of North Florida is a large public school located in the city of Jacksonville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,964, while out-of-state students pay about $19,407. Typical student debt for communications graduates is $17,345. Communications graduates of University Of North Florida earn a median of $36,842 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,345 median debt. Roughly 53% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ave Maria University earned it the #2 place for communications. Set in the rural area of Ave Maria, Ave Maria University is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $30,198. Communications graduates carry a median of $19,801 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $36,842. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 41% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communications will find it at Southeastern University, which ranked #3. Southeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lakeland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,950. Communications graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $27,983. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 53%.
Students looking for strong value in communications will find it at Rollins College, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Winter Park, Rollins College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $60,580. Typical student debt for communications graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from Rollins College generally make around $36,285. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 48% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes The University Of Tampa one of the best values for communications. The University Of Tampa is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tampa. In-state tuition and fees average $34,408. Communications graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from The University Of Tampa generally make around $32,804. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Tampa admits about 40% of applicants.
More Communications Rankings
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.