[Other Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/other-communication-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other communication & media studies students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Arizona State University earned the #1 spot for value among other communication & media studies schools in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,223 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Typical student debt for other communication & media studies graduates is $22,500. Other Communication & Media Studies graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of $55,876 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Arizona State University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of The Incarnate Word one of the best values for other communication & media studies. Set in the city of San Antonio, University Of The Incarnate Word is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,090. Other Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career other communication & media studies graduates make about $51,876. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oklahoma Baptist University earned it the #3 place for other communication & media studies. Oklahoma Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Shawnee. Students from in state pay about $35,570 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,750 to complete the other communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, other communication & media studies degree recipients from Oklahoma Baptist University generally make around $47,100. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Methodist University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other communication & media studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,040. Other Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $20,712 in student loans. Early-career other communication & media studies graduates make about $70,632. That is a strong return on a $20,712 median debt. Southern Methodist University admits about 63% 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 · 8 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.
