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2022 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

20 Ranked Colleges
1,717 Degrees Awarded
$13,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Communication & Journalism is the 11th most popular major in the country with 121,387 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,549 and had an average of $24,893 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 1,717 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and journalism program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

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

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

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

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $3,156 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Vanderbilt University

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #2 spot on the list. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 358 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $10,224 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, 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 89%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UT Knoxville

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and it awarded 113 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $8,108 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

#4

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middle Tennessee State University is a large school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that handed out 313 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $8,919 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Middle Tennessee State University

#5

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tennessee Technological University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Cookeville, Tennessee, this fairly large public school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tennessee Tech University has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee Technological University is $11,641 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Tennessee Technological University

#6

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 118 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, ETSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $10,632 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ETSU.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at East Tennessee State University

The University of Tennessee - Martin came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Tennessee - Martin is a medium-sized school located in Martin, Tennessee that handed out 29 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Martin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend UT Martin is $7,524 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at The University of Tennessee - Martin

#8

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 62 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $11,015 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tennessee State University.

Full Tennessee State University Communication & Journalism Report

#9

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Memphis is a large public school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 179 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UofM also took the #11 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $10,256 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Memphis.

Full UofM Communication & Journalism Report

#10

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee

Johnson University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Johnson University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Johnson University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson University is $13,968 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Johnson University Communication & Journalism Report

#11

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Austin Peay State University is a fairly large public school situated in Clarksville, Tennessee. It awarded 115 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Peay State University is $10,909 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Austin Peay State University

#12

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cleveland, Tennessee, and it awarded 123 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lee University has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $13,841 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Lee University

#13

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Belmont University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 96 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Belmont, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $25,980 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Belmont.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Belmont University

#14

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee

Carson - Newman University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Carson - Newman University is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Carson - Newman also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Carson - Newman University is $14,686 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Carson - Newman

#15

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee

Milligan University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Milligan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milligan College, Tennessee. It awarded 7 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Milligan, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Milligan is $14,089 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Milligan University Communication & Journalism Report

#16

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee

Lipscomb University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Lipscomb University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Lipscomb also took the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $20,036 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lipscomb.

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 student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full Lipscomb University Communication & Journalism Report

#17

Lane College

Jackson, Tennessee
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Lane College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lane College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Jackson, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lane College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lane College is $12,963 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Lane College Communication & Journalism Report

#18

King University

Bristol, Tennessee

King University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Bristol, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

King not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $22,192 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend King University.

Full King Communication & Journalism Report

#19

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee

With a ranking of #19, Southern Adventist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southern Adventist is a small school located in Collegedale, Tennessee that handed out 11 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Southern Adventist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $19,346 for Tennessee Communication & Journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southern Adventist University.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Southern Adventist

#20

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee

With a ranking of #20, Union University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Union University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jackson, Tennessee. It awarded 15 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Union, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $26,079 for tennessee communication & journalism students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Union.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Union University Communication & Journalism Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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