[Other Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/other-communication-media-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Gardner Webb University, our #1 best value for other communication & media studies in North Carolina. Gardner Webb University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Boiling Springs. In-state tuition and fees average $34,750. Typical student debt for other communication & media studies graduates is $25,033. Early-career other communication & media studies graduates make about $63,220. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Gardner Webb University admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wake Forest University earned it the #2 place for other communication & media studies. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,642. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the other communication & media studies program here. Other Communication & Media Studies graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median of $42,055 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 22% of applicants are accepted.
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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.
