[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.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value communication & media studies schools.
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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 University Of Northern Iowa, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in Iowa. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $19,387. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $40,558 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Iowa State University earned it the #2 place for communication & media studies. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,425 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $40,497. Set against $19,425 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Waldorf College one of the best values for communication & media studies. Waldorf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Forest City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,978. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $24,622. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $63,346. Set against $24,622 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Loras College, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Dubuque, Loras College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,824. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,166. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Loras College generally make around $36,821. Set against $25,166 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for communication & media studies. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $25,814 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $37,647. Set against $25,814 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Luther College came in at #6 for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the town of Decorah, Luther College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $52,120. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $42,012. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Central College earned the #7 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the town of Pella, Central College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,988. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $39,953. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Drake University placed #8 among the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $56,361. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Wartburg College placed #9 among the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the town of Waverly, Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,250. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $26,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Wartburg College generally make around $40,255. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
