[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Tacoma Campus the best value for a degree in communication & media studies in Washington. Located in the city of Tacoma, University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,168, with out-of-state students paying around $43,404. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $16,433. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Washington Tacoma Campus earn a median of $44,638 early in their careers. Set against $16,433 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Bothell, University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,919, compared with $43,155 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $16,433 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Washington Bothell Campus earn a median of $44,638 early in their careers. Set against $16,433 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $16,433 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $44,638 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,433 median debt. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Eastern Washington University earned it the #4 place for communication & media studies. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,000. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $37,782 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Washington State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,391, with out-of-state students paying around $29,950. Students borrow a median of $21,903 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $50,300. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Central Washington University landed the #6 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,417, while out-of-state students pay about $27,526. Students borrow a median of $18,572 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $35,820. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Central Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
Western Washington University placed #7 among the best values for communication & media studies. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, compared with $28,707 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,875 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $34,857. Set against $17,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Pacific Lutheran University placed #8 among the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $50,916 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $25,499 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $33,970 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,499 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Saint Martins University earned the #9 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the city of Lacey, Saint Martins University is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $45,510. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $22,818 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Saint Martins University generally make around $60,864. Set against $22,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Seattle Pacific University landed the #10 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Pacific University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,407. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Seattle Pacific University generally make around $32,260. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Whitworth University placed #11 among the best values for communication & media studies. Whitworth University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Spokane. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,880. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Whitworth University generally make around $39,305. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Seattle University earned the #12 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,721. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Seattle University generally make around $39,316. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Seattle University admits about 77% of applicants.
Gonzaga University came in at #13 for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the city of Spokane, Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $55,480. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $23,375. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $37,799. Set against $23,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Puget Sound landed the #14 spot for communication & media studies value this year. University Of Puget Sound is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tacoma. In-state tuition and fees average $62,898. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Puget Sound earn a median of $29,477 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
