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2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

37 Ranked Colleges
2,273 Degrees Awarded
$16,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,115 and had an average of $25,414 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 2,273 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,289 and $25,789 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 37 colleges that offered a degree in communication and media studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communication and media studies programs, but they also cost less that 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k. UPenn is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, UPenn has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $580 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UPenn

2
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Muhlenberg College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 56 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

Muhlenberg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Muhlenberg College is $18,000 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Muhlenberg

3
Community College of Philadelphia crest
Community College of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Community College of Philadelphia landed the #3 spot on the list. Community College of Philadelphia is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Community College of Philadelphia is $12,455 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Community College of Philadelphia

4
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, Pennsylvania

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Villanova University landed the #4 spot on the list. Villanova is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 158 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Villanova not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Villanova University is $24,907 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Villanova University

5
SRU crest
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 72 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SRU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SRU is $14,091 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at SRU

6
Juniata crest
Juniata College
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Juniata College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Huntingdon, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communications degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Juniata has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Juniata College is $15,796 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 more about Communication & Media Studies at Juniata

7
Allegheny crest
Allegheny College
Meadville, Pennsylvania

Allegheny College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Meadville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communications degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

Allegheny did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Allegheny College is $17,681 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Allegheny College

8
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 103 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Temple has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Temple University is $18,173 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Temple University

9

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 89 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Kutztown University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kutztown University is $18,732 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Communication & Media Studies Report

10
Saint Vincent crest
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Saint Vincent College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

Saint Vincent also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $15,105 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Vincent.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Saint Vincent

11
Waynesburg crest
Waynesburg University
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

Waynesburg University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,095 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Waynesburg.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Waynesburg University Communication & Media Studies Report

12

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 81 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Bloomsburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bloomsburg is $16,112 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pitt is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 101 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, Pitt has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $15,084 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Pitt.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Pitt Communication & Media Studies Report

14
W&J crest
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #14, Washington & Jefferson College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communications degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, W&J has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for W&J is $20,962 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Washington & Jefferson College Communication & Media Studies Report

15

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Edinboro is a small school located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania that handed out 17 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,212 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Full Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Communication & Media Studies Report

16
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Duquesne University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communications degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.

Duquesne not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Duquesne University is $20,515 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Duquesne University

17

With a ranking of #17, Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Clarion University of Pennsylvania is located in Clarion, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Clarion University also took the #22 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $15,501 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Clarion University of Pennsylvania

18
East Stroudsburg University crest
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

East Stroudsburg University also took the #21 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for East Stroudsburg University is $16,590 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full East Stroudsburg University Communication & Media Studies Report

19

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mansfield, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Mansfield University is $9,043 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Mansfield University

20
Point Park crest
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #20, Point Park University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 8 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Point Park, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Point Park University is $17,036 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 more about Communication & Media Studies at Point Park

21

With a ranking of #21, Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k list, IUP has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,397 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IUP.

Full Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Communication & Media Studies Report

22
Albright crest
Albright College
Reading, Pennsylvania

Albright College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Reading, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Albright College is $15,448 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Albright Communication & Media Studies Report

23
Ursinus crest
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #23, Ursinus College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ursinus College is a small school located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania that handed out 20 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Ursinus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ursinus is $23,145 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Ursinus College

24
Millersville crest
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville, Pennsylvania

Millersville University of Pennsylvania landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Millersville is a medium-sized school located in Millersville, Pennsylvania that handed out 76 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Millersville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Millersville is $17,224 for Pennsylvania Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Millersville University of Pennsylvania

25

California University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. California University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in California, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California University of Pennsylvania is $15,854 for pennsylvania communications students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at California University of Pennsylvania

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