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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

18 Ranked Colleges
943 Degrees Awarded
$13,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor's in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Communication & Media Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 68,079 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,728 and had an average of $24,931 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 1,049 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,090 and $26,922 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 943 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in communication and media studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and media studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Media Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k. Vanderbilt is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 21 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $3,156 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Vanderbilt Communication & Media Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 135 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Knoxville has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Knoxville is $10,224 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UT Knoxville Communication & Media Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chattanooga, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 113 students in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is $8,108 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

#4

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Middle Tennessee State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 172 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Middle Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $8,919 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Middle Tennessee State University

#5

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend East Tennessee State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

ETSU also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for East Tennessee State University is $10,632 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at East Tennessee State University

The University of Tennessee - Martin ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. The University of Tennessee - Martin is a medium-sized school located in Martin, Tennessee that handed out 22 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Martin also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $7,524 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Martin.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The University of Tennessee - Martin

#7

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tennessee State University is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 62 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tennessee State University has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $11,015 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tennessee State University.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Tennessee State University

#8

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. University of Memphis is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 71 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

UofM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend UofM is $10,256 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Memphis

#9

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee

Johnson University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

Johnson University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Johnson University is $13,968 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Johnson University

#10

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Austin Peay State University is located in Clarksville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Austin Peay State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $10,909 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Austin Peay State University Communication & Media Studies Report

#11

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Belmont has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $25,980 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Belmont University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Belmont University

#12

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee

With a ranking of #12, Carson - Newman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Carson - Newman has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carson - Newman is $14,686 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Carson - Newman Communication & Media Studies Report

#13

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

Lee University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lee University also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Lee University is $13,841 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Lee University Communication & Media Studies Report

#14

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee

Milligan University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Milligan College, Tennessee, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Milligan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Milligan is $14,089 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Milligan University

#15

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Lipscomb University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lipscomb has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lipscomb University is $20,036 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Lipscomb Communication & Media Studies Report

#16

Lane College

Jackson, Tennessee

Lane College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Lane College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $12,963 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lane College.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Lane College

#17

King University

Bristol, Tennessee

King University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Bristol, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

King also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend King University is $22,192 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at King

#18

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee
#8 in overall quality

Union University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Union did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $26,079 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Union.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Union University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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