2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Texas
[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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for journalism students.
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2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Leading the list is Austin Community College District, our #1 best value for journalism in Texas. Austin Community College District is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. Students from in state pay about $2,550 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $10,590. Journalism graduates carry a median of $8,007 in student loans. Journalism graduates of Austin Community College District earn a median of $44,895 early in their careers. Set against $8,007 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Houston one of the best values for journalism. University Of Houston is a very large public school located in the city of Houston. Students from in state pay about $9,717 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,547. Journalism graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $36,226. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
The University Of Texas At Arlington is a great value for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Arlington, The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,950, with out-of-state students paying around $29,582. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $21,632. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Arlington generally make around $55,304. That is a strong return on a $21,632 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in journalism will find it at University Of North Texas, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,309, with out-of-state students paying around $21,149. Journalism graduates carry a median of $19,877 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from University Of North Texas generally make around $38,118. That is a strong return on a $19,877 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value journalism schools. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $20,847. Journalism graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of $33,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,847 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Texas Tech University came in at #6 for value in journalism this year. Texas Tech University is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $23,250. Early-career journalism graduates make about $29,622. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Southern University placed #7 among the best values for journalism. Set in the city of Houston, Texas Southern University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,637, while out-of-state students pay about $21,473. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $34,750. Early-career journalism graduates make about $18,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas Southern University admits about 97% of applicants.
The University Of Texas At Austin placed #8 among the best values for journalism. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $39,336. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Texas A And M University College Station placed #9 among the best values for journalism. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,031 to complete the journalism program here. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station generally make around $64,891. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
Texas Christian University landed the #10 spot for journalism value this year. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,740. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $22,960. Early-career journalism graduates make about $60,035. That is a strong return on a $22,960 median debt. Texas Christian University admits about 44% of applicants.
Southern Methodist University came in at #11 for value in journalism this year. Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,040. Students borrow a median of $19,448 to complete the journalism program here. Journalism graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of $40,502 early in their careers. Set against $19,448 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Baylor University came in at #12 for value in journalism this year. Set in the city of Waco, Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,100. Journalism graduates carry a median of $23,959 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Baylor University generally make around $35,675. Set against $23,959 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Baylor University admits about 51% of applicants.
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Notes and References
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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
