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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism

850 Ranked Colleges
95,797 Degrees Awarded
$15,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 95,797 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 850 colleges that offered 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Journalism Schools

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 for a Bachelor’s”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism

Top 10% in overall quality

Out of the 850 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 391 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $13,322 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 BYU

#2

Colorado State University - Global Campus

Greenwood Village, Colorado
Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Global Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s. Colorado State University - Global Campus is a fairly large school located in Greenwood Village, Colorado that handed out 71 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado State University - Global Campus excels when it comes to communication and journalism quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Colorado State University - Global Campus

Top 25% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 256 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,944 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UOPX - Arizona

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. BYU - I is located in Rexburg, Idaho and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 233 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,167 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students per year to attend BYU - I.

The low 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 Brigham Young University - Idaho

#5

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
Top 5% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s. New York, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

The Graduate Center also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 The Graduate Center

Top 20% in overall quality

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Arizona State University - Skysong is a large public school situated in Scottsdale, Arizona. It awarded 609 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, ASU - Skysong also did well on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Skysong is $13,971 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Arizona State University - Skysong

Top 10% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 103 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, UW - La Crosse is in the top on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - La Crosse

University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in San Juan, , this fairly large public school handed out 113 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,714 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students per year to attend UPR Rio Piedras.

Full UPR Rio Piedras Communication & Journalism Report

Top 20% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 187 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Whitewater also did well on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $15,249 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Full UW - Whitewater Communication & Journalism Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 92 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $13,748 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - River Falls

#11

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
Top 20% in overall quality

University of North Dakota came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UND is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UND is in the top on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UND is $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of North Dakota

Top 25% in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

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

Full North Dakota State University Communication & Journalism Report

#13

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southern New Hampshire University is a large school located in Manchester, New Hampshire that handed out 499 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SNHU is $41,095 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Southern New Hampshire University

#14

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
Top 20% in overall quality

Truman State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Truman State is a public institution located in Kirksville, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Truman State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Truman State is $12,462 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Truman State University

#15

Wilmington University

New Castle, Delaware

With a ranking of #15, Wilmington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Wilmington University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Castle, Delaware. It awarded 16 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Wilmington University is $14,683 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Wilmington University

#15

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. USD is a medium-sized school located in Vermillion, South Dakota that handed out 66 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for USD is $18,555 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of South Dakota

#17

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #17, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. South Dakota State University is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $19,252 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at South Dakota State

#18

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
Top 25% in overall quality

Winona State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Winona State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 66 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Winona State Communication & Journalism Report

Top 15% in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 107 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

UMN Duluth excels when it comes to communication and journalism quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UMN Duluth

With a ranking of #20, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UT Permian Basin is $10,092 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Full UT Permian Basin Communication & Journalism Report

#21

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 111 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $19,926 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Communication & Journalism Report

Top 20% in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school handed out 121 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Minnesota State Mankato is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $16,221 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Minnesota State University - Mankato

With a ranking of #23, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 128 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Communication & Journalism Report

#24

University of Minnesota - Crookston

Crookston, Minnesota

With a ranking of #24, University of Minnesota - Crookston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Crookston is a small public school situated in Crookston, Minnesota. It awarded 23 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,952 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend University of Minnesota - Crookston.

Full University of Minnesota - Crookston Communication & Journalism Report

Top 20% in overall quality

University of Maryland Global Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Adelphi, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 152 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UMGC is in the top on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UMGC is $14,288 for bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Maryland Global Campus

Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#27

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#28

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
#29

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota
#30

Hunter College

New York, New York
#31

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas
#32

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#33

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#35

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
#36

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#37

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska
#39

University of Phoenix - California

Costa Mesa, California
#40

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
#40

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#42

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#43

Central College

Pella, Iowa
#44

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#46

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
#47

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#49

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#50

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
52 University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE
53 Valley City State University Valley City, ND
54 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
55 Weber State University Ogden, UT
56 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
57 Franklin University Columbus, OH
57 Iowa State University Ames, IA
59 University of Wisconsin - Parkside Kenosha, WI
60 West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX
61 Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN
62 University of North Texas Denton, TX
63 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
64 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
65 Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY
66 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
Rank College Location
67 Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA
68 East Central University Ada, OK
69 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
70 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
70 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
72 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
73 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
74 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
75 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
76 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
77 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
78 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
78 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
80 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
81 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA
82 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
83 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
84 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
85 University of Houston Houston, TX
86 Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN
87 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
88 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX
89 Angelo State University San Angelo, TX
89 University of Wisconsin - Superior Superior, WI
91 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
Rank College Location
92 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
93 SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY
94 University of Mississippi University, MS
95 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
96 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
97 California University of Pennsylvania California, PA
98 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO
99 Harding University Searcy, AR
100 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR
100 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
100 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
100 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
104 The University of Arizona Global Campus San Diego, CA
105 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
106 Worcester State University Worcester, MA
107 Wayne State College Wayne, NE
108 Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA
109 Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
110 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
111 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
111 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
111 Chadron State College Chadron, NE
114 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
115 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
116 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
Rank College Location
117 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
118 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
119 Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL
120 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
121 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL
122 University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL
123 Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA
124 University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC
125 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
126 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
127 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
128 Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS

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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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