Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Communication & Journalism

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

202 Ranked Colleges
22,795 Degrees Awarded
$7,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 121,387 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. 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 the Southeast region, there were 26,563 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,085 and $25,539 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 22,795 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 202 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the communication and journalism program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington and Lee University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Lexington, Virginia, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Washington and Lee not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $2,039 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington and Lee University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Washington and Lee

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 713 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UF is $4,069 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 University of Florida

#3

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 617 students in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $6,063 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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 95%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UNC Chapel Hill

#4

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 21 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Vanderbilt Communication & Journalism Report

#5

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 113 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $5,981 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Wake Forest University

#2 in overall quality

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 43 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,454 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgia Tech.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

Top 20% in overall quality

Florida International University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 806 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, FIU is in the top on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $6,683 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Florida International University

#8

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#14 in overall quality

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 338 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida State also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $6,816 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, 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 95%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Florida State University

Top 20% in overall quality

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 541 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, USF Tampa also did well on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for USF Tampa is $5,616 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of South Florida - Main Campus

#10

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
Top 15% in overall quality

University of Central Florida came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 661 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UCF is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $7,847 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Central Florida.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 more about Communication & Journalism at University of Central Florida

#11

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

With a ranking of #11, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 104 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of West Florida is $3,912 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UWF Communication & Journalism Report

#12

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia
#15 in overall quality

University of Richmond ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Richmond is a private not-for-profit institution located in University of Richmond, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k list, URichmond has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $9,131 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend URichmond.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Richmond

#13

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#11 in overall quality

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 753 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UGA also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $10,241 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 94%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UGA

#14

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky
Top 25% in overall quality

Berea College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Berea College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Kentucky. It awarded 24 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,296 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Berea College.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Berea Communication & Journalism Report

#15

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#13 in overall quality

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 199 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,887 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at NC State

#16

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

University of North Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Jacksonville, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 246 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,942 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Florida.

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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UNF

#17

University of Mississippi

University, Mississippi
#18 in overall quality

University of Mississippi came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 444 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ole Miss, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Mississippi is $11,566 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Ole Miss Communication & Journalism Report

#18

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northern Kentucky University is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 174 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NKU is $6,295 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northern Kentucky University

#19

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fort Myers, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 213 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Gulf Coast University is $8,748 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University

#20

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 178 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $14,010 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Virginia Tech

#21

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #21, Florida State College at Jacksonville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida State College at Jacksonville is a large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 13 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FSCJ is $3,680 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full FSCJ Communication & Journalism Report

#22

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, West Virginia University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, and it awarded 245 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

WVU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,486 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WVU.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at WVU

#23

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. FAU is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 343 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $7,331 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at FAU

#24

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#8 in overall quality

James Madison University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, this large public school handed out 451 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

JMU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,726 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend JMU.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at James Madison University

#25

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
Top 20% in overall quality

Appalachian State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Boone, North Carolina, and it awarded 329 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State excels when it comes to communication and journalism quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $9,884 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Appalachian State University Communication & Journalism Report

Rest of the Best 31 in Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#27

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina
#28

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia
#29

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia
#30

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana
#31

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Credits

Featured Communications / Public Relations Schools

Find Schools Near You