[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Catholic University Of America, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $58,378. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $43,259. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at George Washington University, which ranked #2. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,000. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $50,552. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 47%.
American University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Students borrow a median of $22,611 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $52,640. Set against $22,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
A rank of #4 makes Howard University one of the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,810. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,498. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $58,495. Set against $25,498 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Howard University admits about 41% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
