[Media Arts](/majors/communication-journalism-media/radio-television-digital-communication/media-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong media arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for media arts students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in media arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus earned the #1 spot for value among media arts schools in Georgia. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,058, with out-of-state students paying around $34,484. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $28,350 in student loans. Early-career media arts graduates make about $76,507. Set against $28,350 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Georgia came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value media arts schools. Set in the town of Dahlonega, University Of North Georgia is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,444 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,956 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,881 to complete the media arts program here. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from University Of North Georgia generally make around $21,149. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Students looking for strong value in media arts will find it at University Of West Georgia, which ranked #3. University Of West Georgia is a large public school located in the town of Carrollton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,088, while out-of-state students pay about $17,800. Typical student debt for media arts graduates is $26,789. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from University Of West Georgia generally make around $46,432. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of West Georgia admits about 52% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Augusta University one of the best values for media arts. Augusta University is a large public school located in the city of Augusta. In-state tuition and fees average $8,414, while out-of-state students pay about $24,734. Typical student debt for media arts graduates is $25,745. Early-career media arts graduates make about $56,168. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Georgia one of the best values for media arts. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the media arts program here. Early-career media arts graduates make about $37,207. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Kennesaw State University earned the #6 position for value in media arts this year. Set in the suburb of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,808, while out-of-state students pay about $17,736. Typical student debt for media arts graduates is $27,683. Early-career media arts graduates make about $31,994. Set against $27,683 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kennesaw State University admits about 69% of applicants.
Georgia Southern University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value media arts schools. Georgia Southern University is a very large public school located in the town of Statesboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,022, with out-of-state students paying around $17,734. Students borrow a median of $28,000 to complete the media arts program here. Media Arts graduates of Georgia Southern University earn a median of $24,934 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Savannah College Of Art And Design landed the #8 spot for media arts value this year. Savannah College Of Art And Design is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Savannah. In-state tuition and fees average $41,630. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the media arts program here. Media Arts graduates of Savannah College Of Art And Design earn a median of $50,209 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Savannah College Of Art And Design admits about 83% 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
