[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 4 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is American Public University System, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in West Virginia. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a very large private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $24,555 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of American Public University System earn a median of $57,404 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Shepherd University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Shepherd University is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Shepherdstown. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,056, compared with $19,082 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $19,558 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Shepherd University generally make around $23,653. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
West Virginia State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. West Virginia State University is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Institute. Students from in state pay about $9,570 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,990 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $30,788. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $26,351. That is a strong return on a $30,788 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
West Virginia University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #4 spot this year. West Virginia University is a very large public school located in the city of Morgantown. In-state tuition and fees average $10,104, while out-of-state students pay about $28,608. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $23,772 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $51,750. Set against $23,772 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 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.
