by our College Data Analytics Team
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong journalism education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for journalism students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the journalism degrees they offer, see the list below.
Washtenaw Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value journalism schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,736, while out-of-state students pay about $6,504. Journalism graduates carry a median of $17,616 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $45,332. Set against $17,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Oakland University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value journalism schools. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,167 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Journalism graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $35,545. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Wayne State University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Journalism graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $26,591. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Eastern Michigan University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,990. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $30,735. Early-career journalism graduates make about $31,845. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Central Michigan University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value journalism schools. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,480 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $27,000. Journalism graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $25,033 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Michigan State University landed the #6 spot for journalism value this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,985 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $36,912. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.