[Media Arts](/majors/communication-journalism-media/radio-television-digital-communication/media-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 4 schools to find the best return on investment for media arts students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the media arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in media arts, no school beat Iowa Central Community College this year. Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Fort Dodge. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,496, while out-of-state students pay about $7,788. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $16,135 in student loans. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Iowa Central Community College generally make around $39,624. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hawkeye Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value media arts schools. Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Waterloo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,525, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete the media arts program here. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $41,902. That is a strong return on a $17,001 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Northern Iowa one of the best values for media arts. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $19,604 in student loans. Media Arts graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $36,324 early in their careers. Set against $19,604 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for media arts. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the media arts program here. Media Arts graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 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.
