[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 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.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat University Of West Alabama this year. Located in the rural area of Livingston, University Of West Alabama is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,990, with out-of-state students paying around $20,090. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $31,894. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of West Alabama earn a median of $53,270 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of North Alabama one of the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Florence, University Of North Alabama is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,120 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,320 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $30,182. That is a strong return on a $21,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Jacksonville State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Jacksonville, Jacksonville State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,894, while out-of-state students pay about $23,334. Students borrow a median of $24,750 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Jacksonville State University earn a median of $35,147 early in their careers. Set against $24,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Jacksonville State University admits about 78% of applicants.
Auburn University At Montgomery came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,700, compared with $20,668 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,500 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Auburn University At Montgomery generally make around $31,354. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Troy University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the town of Troy, Troy University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,176, compared with $20,352 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Troy University earn a median of $40,859 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Troy University admits about 96% of applicants.
University Of South Alabama came in at #6 for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the city of Mobile, University Of South Alabama is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,116, while out-of-state students pay about $19,092. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,000. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of South Alabama earn a median of $30,153 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham landed the #7 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,098, compared with $22,562 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Alabama At Birmingham generally make around $39,139. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of Alabama At Huntsville came in at #8 for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the city of Huntsville, University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,132, compared with $26,408 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,797 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $41,713. Set against $24,797 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
University Of Mobile ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the rural area of Mobile, University Of Mobile is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,910. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $30,127. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Mobile earn a median of $50,507 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Alabama placed #10 among the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $50,351. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Alabama State University came in at #11 for value in communication & media studies this year. Alabama State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Montgomery. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,248, while out-of-state students pay about $19,576. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $32,750. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Alabama State University generally make around $21,996. That is a strong return on a $32,750 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Auburn University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,890 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $34,922. Students borrow a median of $20,675 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $35,929 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,675 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Samford University came in at #13 for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the suburb of Birmingham, Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,150 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $21,039 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Samford University generally make around $39,690. Set against $21,039 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Samford University admits about 82% of applicants.
Tuskegee University landed the #14 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Tuskegee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Tuskegee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,386. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Tuskegee University generally make around $48,198. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 49%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 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.
