by our College Data Analytics Team
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong journalism education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value journalism schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in journalism, no school beat Wichita State University this year. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. In-state tuition and fees average $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,262 in student loans. Early-career journalism graduates make about $49,278. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Kansas one of the best values for journalism. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. In-state tuition and fees average $12,102, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for journalism graduates is $22,811. Journalism graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $54,601 early in their careers. Set against $22,811 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Kansas admits about 94% of applicants.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Journalism graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $37,484. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.