2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 68,079 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, communication and media studies is the 9th most popular major in the United States. 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.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 54,842 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 752 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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More Ways to Rank Communication & Media Studies Schools
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” list to help you make the college decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies
Out of the 752 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 71 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
BYU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,322 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Global Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s. Greenwood Village, Colorado is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Colorado State University - Global Campus is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Colorado State University - Global Campus Communication & Media Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UOPX - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 256 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UOPX - Arizona is $12,944 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UOPX - Arizona
Out of the 752 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #4 spot on the list. Brigham Young University - Idaho 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.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s. The Graduate Center is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, The Graduate Center is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full The Graduate Center Communication & Media Studies Report
Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and it awarded 469 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
ASU - Skysong excels when it comes to communications quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Skysong is $13,971 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at ASU - Skysong
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 103 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW - La Crosse is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $14,580 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students per year to attend UW - La Crosse.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Wisconsin - La Crosse
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 141 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW - Whitewater is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $15,249 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
University of North Dakota landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 77 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UND is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
The low 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%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of North Dakota
With a ranking of #10, Truman State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Truman State is a small school located in Kirksville, Missouri that handed out 50 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Truman State is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,462 for bachelor’s degree communications students per year to attend Truman State.
The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Truman State University
With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,748 for bachelor’s degree communications students per year to attend UW - River Falls.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Communication & Media Studies Report
With a ranking of #12, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, this medium-sized public school handed out 66 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $18,555 for bachelor’s degree communications students per year to attend University of South Dakota.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of South Dakota
With a ranking of #13, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Minnesota - Duluth
Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Winona State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 66 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a public institution located in Odessa, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,092 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students per year to attend UT Permian Basin.
Full The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Communication & Media Studies Report
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. SRU is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 111 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $19,926 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Mankato, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 121 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Minnesota State Mankato is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $16,221 for bachelor’s degree communications students per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Minnesota State University - Mankato
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 128 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $14,423 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
University of Minnesota - Crookston came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UMN Crookston is located in Crookston, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Crookston is $10,952 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
University of Maryland Global Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. UMGC is a public institution located in Adelphi, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 152 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UMGC also did well on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland Global Campus is $14,288 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 90 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,465 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,020 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Communication & Media Studies Report
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a fairly large public school situated in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It awarded 37 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
South Dakota State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree communications students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at South Dakota State
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 52 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,395 for Bachelor’s Degree Communications students.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin - Parkside | Kenosha, WI |
| 53 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, PA |
| 54 | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, NC |
| 55 | Purdue University Northwest | Hammond, IN |
| 56 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 57 | Minnesota State University - Moorhead | Moorhead, MN |
| 58 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA |
| 59 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL |
| 60 | SUNY Cortland | Cortland, NY |
| 61 | East Central University | Ada, OK |
| 62 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX |
| 63 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 64 | University of North Florida | Jacksonville, FL |
| 65 | Farmingdale State College | Farmingdale, NY |
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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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- Credit for the banner image above goes to UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland.
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