[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 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.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat Austin Peay State University this year. Austin Peay State University is a large public school located in the city of Clarksville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,006, while out-of-state students pay about $14,766. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Austin Peay State University generally make around $34,582. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Austin Peay State University admits about 96% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee Martin is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,560, compared with $16,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,481 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of The University Of Tennessee Martin earn a median of $26,803 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,481 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $24,329. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $29,877. Set against $24,329 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
University Of Memphis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. Students borrow a median of $23,381 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Memphis earn a median of $26,922 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,448, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $21,831 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga generally make around $33,082. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Vanderbilt University came in at #6 for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,498. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $13,975. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $77,997 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Lane College landed the #7 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the city of Jackson, Lane College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,790. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $37,241. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $26,497. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
East Tennessee State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. East Tennessee State University is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City. Students from in state pay about $10,216 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $33,111. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Tennessee State University landed the #9 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,616 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Students borrow a median of $30,625 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Tennessee State University generally make around $25,140. Set against $30,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Tennessee State University admits about 70% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee placed #10 among the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $20,875. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $41,258. That is a strong return on a $20,875 median debt. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
Bryan College Dayton ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the town of Dayton, Bryan College Dayton is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $19,800 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,652 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Bryan College Dayton earn a median of $44,067 early in their careers. Set against $25,652 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Belmont University earned the #12 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,540. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $22,125. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Belmont University earn a median of $41,889 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,125 median debt. Belmont University admits about 95% 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
