2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Virginia

[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for communications students.
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2026 Best Value Communications Schools in Virginia
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 Mary Washington, our #1 best value for communications in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Fredericksburg, University Of Mary Washington is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,905, with out-of-state students paying around $28,083. Typical student debt for communications graduates is $22,825. Communications graduates of University Of Mary Washington earn a median of $43,243 early in their careers. Set against $22,825 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Marymount University earned it the #2 place for communications. Located in the city of Arlington, Marymount University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,120. Communications graduates carry a median of $26,880 in student loans. Communications graduates of Marymount University earn a median of $58,028 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Marymount University admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Randolph Macon College one of the best values for communications. Set in the suburb of Ashland, Randolph Macon College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $49,466 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for communications graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from Randolph Macon College generally make around $40,328. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Randolph Macon College admits about 87% of applicants.
Roanoke College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value communications schools. Roanoke College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Salem. In-state tuition and fees average $38,068. Communications graduates carry a median of $26,975 in student loans. Early-career communications graduates make about $36,220. That is a strong return on a $26,975 median debt. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Liberty University earned it the #5 place for communications. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Communications graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $39,116. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
More Communications Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 7 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.