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2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Colorado

5 Colleges in the United States
$21,407 Avg Student Debt
$61,152 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value General Journalism Badge [General Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/general-journalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general journalism students.

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2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Colorado

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value General Journalism Schools

1

For return on investment in general journalism, no school beat Metropolitan State College Of Denver this year. Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,124, with out-of-state students paying around $30,684. Typical student debt for general journalism graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $37,644. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Northern Colorado came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general journalism schools. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,901 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,979. Students borrow a median of $21,750 to complete the general journalism program here. General Journalism graduates of University Of Northern Colorado earn a median of $30,216 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,750 median debt. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.

3

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #3 place for general journalism. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Typical student debt for general journalism graduates is $22,500. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $36,352. Set against $22,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.

4

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Boulder earned it the #4 place for general journalism. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,214 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,750 to complete the general journalism program here. General Journalism graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $34,022 early in their careers. Set against $15,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.

5

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Denver earned it the #5 place for general journalism. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,398. Typical student debt for general journalism graduates is $22,534. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from University Of Denver generally make around $56,999. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 10 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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