College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina

20 Ranked Colleges
3,783 Degrees Awarded
$11,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Communication & Journalism is the 11th most popular major in the country with 120,571 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,266 and had an average of $24,758 in loans still to pay off.

Across North Carolina, there were 3,783 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,114 and $24,752 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and journalism. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and journalism programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the communication and journalism program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Journalism Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Communication & Journalism Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The communication & journalism school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 696 students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Communication & Journalism Report

2
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. Wake Forest University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 156 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Wake Forest University also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $10,401 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Wake Forest University

3
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. NC State is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 264 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $7,283 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Carolina State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full NC State Communication & Journalism Report

4
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Appalachian State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Boone, North Carolina, and it awarded 335 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Appalachian State also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $7,354 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Appalachian State

5
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Carolina University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. East Carolina University is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 345 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, ECU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $11,260 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full East Carolina University Communication & Journalism Report

6

University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 195 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

UNC Greensboro not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $7,645 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UNC Greensboro

7

University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 310 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $12,751 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNC Charlotte.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UNC Charlotte

8
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. North Carolina A & T State University is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 169 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC A&T, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC A&T is $7,827 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at North Carolina A & T State University

9

University of North Carolina at Wilmington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wilmington, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 225 students in 2020-2021.

UNCW not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $11,710 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNCW.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UNCW

10

University of North Carolina at Asheville came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Asheville is a public institution located in Asheville, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNCA also took the #15 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $8,677 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of North Carolina at Asheville

11
Fayetteville State University crest
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Fayetteville State University is a medium-sized school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina that handed out 17 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Fayetteville State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $5,366 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fayetteville State University.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Fayetteville State University

12
Elon crest
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

Elon University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Elon University is a medium-sized school located in Elon, North Carolina that handed out 317 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Elon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $27,491 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Elon.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Elon

13
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

With a ranking of #13, Western Carolina University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and it awarded 51 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

WCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend WCU is $9,305 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Western Carolina University

14

University of North Carolina at Pembroke landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public institution located in Pembroke, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Pembroke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $8,412 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNC Pembroke.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of North Carolina at Pembroke

15
Wingate crest
Wingate University
Wingate, North Carolina

Wingate University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Wingate, North Carolina, and it awarded 29 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wingate has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $18,721 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wingate.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wingate University Communication & Journalism Report

16
North Carolina Central University crest
North Carolina Central University
Durham, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, North Carolina Central University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Carolina Central University is a public institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

North Carolina Central University also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina Central University is $12,249 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at North Carolina Central University

17
Catawba crest
Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Catawba College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Catawba is a small school located in Salisbury, North Carolina that handed out 15 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Catawba also took the #13 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Catawba College is $15,146 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Catawba College

18
WSSU crest
Winston - Salem State University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston - Salem State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. WSSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 32 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSSU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $10,304 for north carolina communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WSSU.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at WSSU

19
Queens crest
Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, Queens University of Charlotte did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Queens is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 95 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Queens also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Queens University of Charlotte is $21,326 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Queens

20
JCSU crest
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina

Johnson C Smith University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johnson C Smith University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

JCSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $20,176 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Johnson C Smith University.

Full Johnson C Smith University Communication & Journalism Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options