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2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

31 Ranked Colleges
2,741 Degrees Awarded
$12,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor's in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 68,079 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 9th most popular in the country. 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 the Rocky Mountains region, there were 3,210 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,007 and $23,997 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,741 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,111 and $23,874 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 31 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and media studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great communication and media studies programs and 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

Out of the 31 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #1 spot on the list. BYU - I is located in Rexburg, Idaho and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 233 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

BYU - I also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $3,595 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend BYU - I.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full Brigham Young University - Idaho Communication & Media Studies Report

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 31 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #2 spot on the list. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 71 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BYU is $10,425 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 BYU

#3

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wyoming. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW is a fairly large school located in Laramie, Wyoming that handed out 51 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW is $9,200 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Full UW Communication & Media Studies Report

#4

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

Out of the 31 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Utah landed the #4 spot on the list. U of U is a large public school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 347 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

U of U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend U of U is $13,192 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The 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 U of U

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Utah Valley University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Orem, Utah, this large public school awarded 196 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

UVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Utah Valley University is $8,047 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UVU

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 180 students in 2019-2020.

CU - Boulder not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado Boulder is $14,361 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at CU - Boulder

Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, this large public school awarded 197 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Colorado State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins is $11,890 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Colorado State University - Fort Collins

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Denver, Colorado, and it awarded 138 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

CU Anschutz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is $12,503 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

Weber State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WSU is located in Ogden, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 101 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

WSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $10,980 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Weber State University.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Weber State University

#10

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
#18 in overall quality

Utah State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Logan, Utah, this large public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

USU also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $12,034 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Utah State University.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at USU

#11

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this fairly large public school awarded 167 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCCS, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $12,643 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UCCS

#12

Colorado State University - Global Campus

Greenwood Village, Colorado

Colorado State University - Global Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Greenwood Village, Colorado, this fairly large public school handed out 71 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

Colorado State University - Global Campus also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking.

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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Colorado State University - Global Campus

#13

Southern Utah University

Cedar City, Utah

Southern Utah University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southern Utah University is a fairly large school located in Cedar City, Utah that handed out 79 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Southern Utah University has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Utah University is $11,759 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Southern Utah University

#14

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho

Boise State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Boise, Idaho, this large public school awarded 267 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

Boise State also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $13,146 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Boise State University.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Boise State University

#15

University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, Colorado

University of Northern Colorado landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Greeley, Colorado, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Northern Colorado not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Colorado is $12,736 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Northern Colorado Communication & Media Studies Report

#16

Lewis - Clark State College

Lewiston, Idaho

Lewis - Clark State College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lewis - Clark State College is a small public school situated in Lewiston, Idaho. It awarded 6 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lewis - Clark State College is $10,025 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Lewis - Clark State College

#17

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
#24 in overall quality

University of Idaho landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Idaho is located in Moscow, Idaho and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

U of I did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Idaho is $11,735 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Colorado State University - Pueblo landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Colorado State University - Pueblo is a medium-sized public school situated in Pueblo, Colorado. It awarded 28 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Colorado State University - Pueblo has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Colorado State University - Pueblo is $11,831 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Colorado State University - Pueblo

#19

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana

The University of Montana came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Missoula, Montana, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Montana is $14,314 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UM Communication & Media Studies Report

#20

Dixie State University

Saint George, Utah

Dixie State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dixie State University is a public institution located in Saint George, Utah. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 107 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dixie State College also took the #21 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dixie State College is $10,796 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Dixie State College

#21

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Colorado

Western Colorado University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Western is located in Gunnison, Colorado and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Western also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $14,744 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Colorado University.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Western

#22

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado

Colorado Mesa University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Grand Junction, Colorado, this medium-sized public school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Colorado Mesa University is $13,624 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Colorado Mesa University

#23

Westminster College Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
#6 in overall quality

Westminster College Utah did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Westminster College Utah is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 18 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Westminster College Salt Lake, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $17,747 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Westminster College Utah.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Westminster College Salt Lake Communication & Media Studies Report

Montana State University - Billings ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Billings, Montana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Montana State University - Billings is $11,749 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Montana State University - Billings Communication & Media Studies Report

#25

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado

University of Denver landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Denver, Colorado, and it awarded 83 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

DU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $20,735 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Denver.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

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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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