[Media Arts](/majors/communication-journalism-media/radio-television-digital-communication/media-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value media arts schools.
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Featured Media Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the media arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Seattle Campus the best value for a degree in media arts in Washington. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,973 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Early-career media arts graduates make about $72,293. That is a strong return on a $16,481 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington State University earned it the #2 place for media arts. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,391, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Students borrow a median of $20,700 to complete the media arts program here. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $32,416. That is a strong return on a $20,700 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in media arts will find it at Central Washington University, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,417, with out-of-state students paying around $27,526. Students borrow a median of $22,975 to complete the media arts program here. Early-career media arts graduates make about $32,808. That is a strong return on a $22,975 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
A rank of #4 makes The Evergreen State College one of the best values for media arts. Located in the suburb of Olympia, The Evergreen State College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,264, while out-of-state students pay about $31,905. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $21,850 in student loans. Early-career media arts graduates make about $26,942. That is a strong return on a $21,850 median debt. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Seattle University earned it the #5 place for media arts. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $56,721. Typical student debt for media arts graduates is $18,250. Media Arts graduates of Seattle University earn a median of $33,821 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 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.
