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2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

154 Ranked Colleges
26,603 Degrees Awarded
$8,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 120,571 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. 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 the Southeast region, there were 26,603 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,512 and $25,772 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 154 colleges that offer a degree in communication and journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communication and journalism programs, but they also cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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

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

1

Out of the 154 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 696 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $5,729 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Communication & Journalism Report

2
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

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 in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 888 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k list, UF has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $2,857 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 UF

3
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Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 156 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $5,612 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Wake Forest University

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 610 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for USF Tampa is $5,632 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at USF Tampa

5
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Out of the 154 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 383 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,349 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. 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 Florida State University

6

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools 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 63 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,712 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Georgia Tech Communication & Journalism Report

7
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #7, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Georgia is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 964 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Georgia is $10,688 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 UGA Communication & Journalism Report

8

Florida International University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 900 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $4,882 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 91%.

Full FIU Communication & Journalism Report

9
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University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UNF is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 232 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,074 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Florida.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida Communication & Journalism Report

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 679 students in 2020-2021.

UCF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $6,256 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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 92%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UCF

11

The University of West Florida came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Pensacola, Florida, and it awarded 115 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UWF is $3,827 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UWF

12
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Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

With a ranking of #12, Northern Kentucky University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 143 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Kentucky University is $5,947 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at NKU

13
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,976 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emory.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Emory University Communication & Journalism Report

14
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 353 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $8,262 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Florida Atlantic University

15

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a public institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 335 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Louisiana State University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,403 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Louisiana State University.

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 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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Louisiana State University

16
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 266 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Virginia Tech, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $14,003 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Virginia Tech.

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

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Virginia Tech

17
Berea crest
Berea College
Berea, Kentucky

Berea College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools 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 17 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Berea College is $5,313 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a undergrad 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Berea

18
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #18, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 264 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $9,448 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend North Carolina State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full North Carolina State University Communication & Journalism Report

19
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. West Virginia University is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 370 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, WVU is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend West Virginia University is $10,250 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full West Virginia University Communication & Journalism Report

20
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Appalachian State is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 335 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State is $9,940 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Appalachian State University Communication & Journalism Report

21

Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. FGCU is located in Fort Myers, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 202 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,969 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend FGCU.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

22
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Kentucky is a large school located in Lexington, Kentucky that handed out 478 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $13,424 for southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Kentucky.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 86%.

Full UK Communication & Journalism Report

23
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Arkansas is a large school located in Fayetteville, Arkansas that handed out 408 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k list, UARK has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UARK is $13,690 for southeast region 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 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 University of Arkansas Communication & Journalism Report

24
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #24, East Carolina University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ECU is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 345 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ECU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $13,029 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at ECU

25
Marshall University crest
Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Marshall University is a fairly large public school situated in Huntington, West Virginia. It awarded 33 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Marshall University is $6,254 for Southeast Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Marshall University Communication & Journalism Report

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