2026 Best Value Journalism Schools in Pennsylvania
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 23 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value journalism schools.
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2026 Best Value Journalism Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Temple University tops our 2026 list of the best value journalism schools in Pennsylvania. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $23,005, with out-of-state students paying around $38,805. Journalism graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Temple University generally make around $30,959. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Temple University admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Scranton earned it the #2 place for journalism. Set in the city of Scranton, University Of Scranton is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,777. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $27,000. Journalism graduates of University Of Scranton earn a median of $56,861 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value journalism schools. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $20,644 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,790. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Lehigh University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Bethlehem, Lehigh University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,980. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Lehigh University generally make around $45,256. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 26%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
