2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Arizona
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for journalism students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Arizona
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Northern Arizona University earned the #1 spot for value among journalism schools in Arizona. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Students borrow a median of $18,062 to complete the journalism program here. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $33,710. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place for journalism. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. Students from in state pay about $12,223 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Students borrow a median of $19,937 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $43,126. That is a strong return on a $19,937 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Arizona one of the best values for journalism. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. In-state tuition and fees average $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Students borrow a median of $20,520 to complete the journalism program here. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $36,521. Set against $20,520 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arizona admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at Ashford University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Chandler, Ashford University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,960. Students borrow a median of $43,250 to complete the journalism program here. Journalism graduates of Ashford University earn a median of $32,459 early in their careers. Set against $43,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
