[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes 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.
University Of New Hampshire At Manchester tops our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools in New Hampshire. Set in the city of Manchester, University Of New Hampshire At Manchester is a small public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,838 in tuition and fees, compared with $36,418 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of New Hampshire At Manchester generally make around $43,551. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of New Hampshire At Manchester admits about 81% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Keene State College one of the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the town of Keene, Keene State College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,784, compared with $26,840 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $34,372. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #3 makes Plymouth State University one of the best values for communication & media studies. Plymouth State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Plymouth. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,626, while out-of-state students pay about $25,566. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Plymouth State University generally make around $31,293. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at University Of New Hampshire Main Campus, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $19,202 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,852 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of New Hampshire Main Campus generally make around $43,551. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #5 makes Saint Anselm College one of the best values for communication & media studies. Saint Anselm College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Manchester. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,920. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Saint Anselm College generally make around $43,819. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
