[Media Arts](/majors/communication-journalism-media/radio-television-digital-communication/media-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value media arts schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the media arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Hawkeye Community College earned the #1 spot for value among media arts schools in Iowa. Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Waterloo. Students from in state pay about $6,525 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Media Arts graduates carry a median of $17,001 in student loans. 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Northern Iowa earned it the #2 place for media arts. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for media arts graduates is $19,604. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $36,324. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
