2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in North Carolina
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value journalism schools.
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2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Our analysis ranked Appalachian State University the best value for a degree in journalism in North Carolina. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, while out-of-state students pay about $25,212. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $21,000. Journalism graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $27,116 early in their careers. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Appalachian State University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes High Point University one of the best values for journalism. High Point University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of High Point. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,312. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $23,785. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from High Point University generally make around $113,352. That is a strong return on a $23,785 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Elon University, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $46,958 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $19,875. Journalism graduates of Elon University earn a median of $34,105 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
