2026 Best Value Journalism Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong journalism education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 52 schools to find the best return on investment for journalism students.
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2026 Best Value Journalism Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Twin Cities the best value for a degree in journalism in the The Plains States Region. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $42,450. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Kansas one of the best values for journalism. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,102 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,811 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $54,601. That is a strong return on a $22,811 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a great value for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,434, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $21,000. Journalism graduates of University Of Nebraska Lincoln earn a median of $47,157 early in their careers. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nebraska Lincoln admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lincoln University Missouri earned it the #4 place for journalism. Set in the city of Jefferson City, Lincoln University Missouri is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,796, with out-of-state students paying around $17,692. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $34,532. Journalism graduates of Lincoln University Missouri earn a median of $26,356 early in their careers. Set against $34,532 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Nebraska At Kearney one of the best values for journalism. Set in the town of Kearney, University Of Nebraska At Kearney is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,564 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $16,484. Students borrow a median of $22,602 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $36,703. Set against $22,602 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nebraska At Kearney admits about 90% of applicants.
Iowa State University earned the #6 position for value in journalism this year. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $39,347. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Kansas State University landed the #7 spot for journalism value this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the journalism program here. Early-career journalism graduates make about $37,484. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Missouri State University Springfield ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value journalism schools. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,408 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $46,503. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #9 for value in journalism this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $21,400. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $49,879. Set against $21,400 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Minnesota Duluth ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value journalism schools. University Of Minnesota Duluth is a large public school located in the city of Duluth. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,608, compared with $20,134 for out-of-state students. Journalism graduates carry a median of $26,351 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $27,474. Set against $26,351 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Duluth admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of Iowa earned the #11 position for value in journalism this year. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $25,907. Early-career journalism graduates make about $54,887. That is a strong return on a $25,907 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Drake University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value journalism schools. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,960. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $22,273. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $41,913. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #13 for value in journalism this year. University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $54,398. Journalism graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans. Journalism graduates of University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn a median of $65,183 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,923 median debt. University Of St Thomas Minnesota admits about 85% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 52 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
