2027 Best Value Radio, Television & Digital Communication Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Radio, Television & Digital Communication](/majors/communication-journalism-media/radio-television-digital-communication/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong radio, television & digital communication education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for radio, television & digital communication students.
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2027 Best Value Radio, Television & Digital Communication Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in radio, television & digital communication, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Radio, Television & Digital Communication Schools
Iowa Central Community College earned the #1 spot for value among radio, television & digital communication schools in the The Plains States Region. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $7,788. Students borrow a median of $16,135 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Soon after graduation, radio, television & digital communication degree recipients from Iowa Central Community College generally make around $39,624. Set against $16,135 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hawkeye Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in radio, television & digital communication, landing the #2 spot this year. 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, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Radio, Television & Digital Communication graduates of Hawkeye Community College earn a median of $41,902 early in their careers. 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 radio, television & digital communication. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for radio, television & digital communication graduates is $19,604. Early-career radio, television & digital communication graduates make about $36,324. That is a strong return on a $19,604 median debt. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in radio, television & digital communication will find it at University Of Central Missouri, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,050 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,600. Students borrow a median of $27,125 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Early-career radio, television & digital communication graduates make about $28,146. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Southeast Missouri State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in radio, television & digital communication, landing the #5 spot this year. Southeast Missouri State University is a large public school located in the city of Cape Girardeau. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. Students borrow a median of $23,289 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Soon after graduation, radio, television & digital communication degree recipients from Southeast Missouri State University generally make around $43,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southeast Missouri State University admits about 74% of applicants.
University Of Kansas placed #6 among the best values for radio, television & digital communication. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,102 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $30,432. Students borrow a median of $23,608 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Radio, Television & Digital Communication graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $56,289 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University landed the #7 spot for radio, television & digital communication value this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Students borrow a median of $23,546 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Early-career radio, television & digital communication graduates make about $51,543. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Minnesota State University Moorhead earned the #8 position for value in radio, television & digital communication this year. Located in the suburb of Moorhead, Minnesota State University Moorhead is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,428. Students borrow a median of $24,447 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Soon after graduation, radio, television & digital communication degree recipients from Minnesota State University Moorhead generally make around $50,892. Set against $24,447 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 59%.
Dunwoody College Of Technology placed #9 among the best values for radio, television & digital communication. Dunwoody College Of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,477. Students borrow a median of $18,973 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Radio, Television & Digital Communication graduates of Dunwoody College Of Technology earn a median of $53,751 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern College Minnesota earned the #10 position for value in radio, television & digital communication this year. Northwestern College Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Paul. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,920. Students borrow a median of $24,013 to complete the radio, television & digital communication program here. Soon after graduation, radio, television & digital communication degree recipients from Northwestern College Minnesota generally make around $40,361. That is a strong return on a $24,013 median debt. Northwestern College Minnesota admits about 94% of applicants.
Drake University earned the #11 position for value in radio, television & digital communication this year. 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. Typical student debt for radio, television & digital communication graduates is $22,273. Radio, Television & Digital Communication 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. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.