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2023 Best Value Journalism Schools

236 Ranked Colleges
13,552 Degrees Awarded
$16,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Journalism Schools” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Journalism is the 69th most popular major in the country with 13,552 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,953 and had an average of $23,734 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools” ranking analyzed 236 colleges that offered a degree in journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent journalism programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the journalism program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Journalism Schools” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Journalism Schools

The colleges and universities below are the best for journalism students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Journalism

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Journalism Schools. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 64 degrees to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, BYU also did well on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,474 for Journalism students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full BYU Journalism Report

2
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South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Journalism Schools. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $18,578 for journalism students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Journalism at South Dakota State University

3

Out of the 236 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Texas landed the #3 spot on the list. UNT is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 299 ’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

UNT also claimed a top spot on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $14,122 for Journalism students per year to attend UNT.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Journalism at UNT

4
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University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

Out of the 236 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Memphis landed the #4 spot on the list. UofM is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UofM is $13,904 for journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at University of Memphis

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Journalism Schools. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 279 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Journalism Schools” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $21,122 for journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Oklahoma Journalism Report

6

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools list. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University is $16,998 for Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at North Dakota State University

7

Austin Community College District landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 22 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,224 for journalism students per year to attend Austin Community College District.

Read full report on Journalism at Austin Community College District

8

Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 185 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, OHIO Athens also did well on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $23,831 for Journalism students per year to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus.

Read more about Journalism at Ohio University - Athens Campus

9
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University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school awarded 257 degrees to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $20,257 for journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full KU Journalism Report

10

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking, coming in at #10. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 28 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,285 for Journalism students per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on Journalism at SIUC

11
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Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking, coming in at #11. Central Michigan is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 35 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $16,007 for Journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Central Michigan University Journalism Report

12

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. This large school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 109 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $17,013 for Journalism students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at UNL

13

Iowa State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 56 diplomas to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Iowa State is also in the top of our “Best Journalism Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Journalism Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $16,002 for journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Journalism at Iowa State University

14
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Wilmington University
New Castle, Delaware

Wilmington University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. This fairly large school is located in New Castle, Delaware, and it awarded 17 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Wilmington University is $15,186 for Journalism students.

Read more about Journalism at Wilmington University

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 55 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Whitewater is $14,417 for journalism students.

Read full report on Journalism at UW - Whitewater

16

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 18 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,687 for journalism students per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Read more about Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

17

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 488 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also took the #10 spot in our “Best Journalism Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $16,559 for Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Journalism Report

18

University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking, coming in at #18. UNK is a public institution located in Kearney, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney is $17,099 for Journalism students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Journalism at UNK

19

University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking, coming in at #19. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $18,505 for journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Journalism Report

20
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Harding University
Searcy, Arkansas

Harding University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. Searcy, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s journalism degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Harding is $19,456 for journalism students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Harding

21
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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools list. This medium-sized school is located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 48 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Ship is $23,006 for journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Ship

22
23

Arkansas State University - Main Campus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools ranking. This fairly large school is located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and it awarded 10 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,189 for Journalism students per year to attend Arkansas State University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at A-State

24
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University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #24, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Journalism Schools list. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, this large public school handed out 146 diplomas to qualified ’s journalism students in 2020-2021.

UARK excels when it comes to journalism quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arkansas is $16,507 for Journalism students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Arkansas Journalism Report

25

Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools list. This medium-sized school is located in Moorhead, Minnesota, and it awarded 6 ’s journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,680 for journalism students per year to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Journalism at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

Rest of the Best 36 in Best Value Journalism Schools

Not only did these schools make the top 36 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
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Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan
29
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West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
30
31
St. Bonaventure crest
St. Bonaventure University
Saint Bonaventure, New York
32
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
33
34
35
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
36

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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