2026 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Oregon
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools
For return on investment in communication & journalism, no school beat Clackamas Community College this year. Clackamas Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Oregon City. In-state tuition and fees average $6,345, with out-of-state students paying around $14,265. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $13,915. Communication & Journalism graduates of Clackamas Community College earn a median of $31,280 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,915 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Portland State University one of the best values for communication & journalism. Located in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,136. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,582 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Portland State University generally make around $34,885. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
A rank of #3 makes Eastern Oregon University one of the best values for communication & journalism. Eastern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of La Grande. Students from in state pay about $11,184 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,729. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $29,801 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Eastern Oregon University generally make around $37,143. Set against $29,801 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Oregon University admits about 98% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication & journalism will find it at Western Oregon University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Monmouth, Western Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,514, compared with $32,169 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $21,316. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Western Oregon University generally make around $37,600. Set against $21,316 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Oregon University admits about 98% of applicants.
Southern Oregon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $12,762 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,887. Students borrow a median of $23,584 to complete the communication & journalism program here. Communication & Journalism graduates of Southern Oregon University earn a median of $30,422 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Oregon University admits about 89% of applicants.
Oregon State University came in at #6 for value in communication & journalism this year. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,400, compared with $38,190 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,102 to complete the communication & journalism program here. Communication & Journalism graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $33,066 early in their careers. Set against $22,102 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Oregon earned the #7 position for value in communication & journalism this year. Located in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,320, with out-of-state students paying around $42,516. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $21,926 in student loans. Communication & Journalism graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $52,188 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Willamette University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value communication & journalism schools. Set in the city of Salem, Willamette University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,156. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the communication & journalism program here. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $31,472. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
George Fox University landed the #9 spot for communication & journalism value this year. George Fox University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Newberg. Students from in state pay about $41,320 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the communication & journalism program here. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $37,012. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Lewis And Clark College landed the #10 spot for communication & journalism value this year. Lewis And Clark College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Portland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,828. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $20,500. Communication & Journalism graduates of Lewis And Clark College earn a median of $17,707 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Communication & Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
