2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Massachusetts

[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value journalism schools.
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2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the journalism degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Leading the list is Harvard University, our #1 best value for journalism in Massachusetts. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,676. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $16,616. Journalism graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a great value for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $25,447. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Amherst generally make around $37,091. That is a strong return on a $25,447 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Boston University one of the best values for journalism. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $24,813. Early-career journalism graduates make about $51,138. Set against $24,813 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Suffolk University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Boston, Suffolk University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,550. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $27,000. Journalism graduates of Suffolk University earn a median of $33,628 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Northeastern University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value journalism schools. Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. In-state tuition and fees average $66,162. Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,313 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $51,855. That is a strong return on a $24,313 median debt. The acceptance rate is 5%.
Emerson College came in at #6 for value in journalism this year. Located in the city of Boston, Emerson College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,056. Students borrow a median of $24,580 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $41,357. Set against $24,580 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Emerson College admits about 51% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.