2027 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in Oregon
[Communication & Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & journalism students.
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2027 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
Leading the list is Clackamas Community College, our #1 best value for communication & journalism in Oregon. Set in the suburb of Oregon City, Clackamas Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,345, with out-of-state students paying around $14,265. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $13,915 in student loans. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $31,280. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Portland State University earned it the #2 place 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, compared with $29,136 for out-of-state students. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,582 in student loans. Communication & Journalism graduates of Portland State University earn a median of $34,840 early in their careers. Set against $24,582 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Oregon Institute Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Klamath Falls, Oregon Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,260, compared with $37,196 for out-of-state students. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $27,551 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Oregon Institute Of Technology generally make around $63,715. Set against $27,551 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oregon Institute Of Technology admits about 95% of applicants.
Southern Oregon University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & journalism schools. Set in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,762 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,887. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $23,584 in student loans. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $30,422. Set against $23,584 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Oregon University earned it the #5 place for communication & journalism. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $32,169. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $21,316. Communication & Journalism graduates of Western Oregon University earn a median of $37,600 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Oregon University admits about 98% of applicants.
Oregon State University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & journalism schools. 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. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $22,102. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $33,739. Set against $22,102 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Oregon University landed the #7 spot for communication & journalism value this year. Eastern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of La Grande. In-state tuition and fees average $11,184, compared with $24,729 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $29,801. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $37,143. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
University Of Oregon came in at #8 for value in communication & journalism this year. University Of Oregon is a very large public school located in the city of Eugene. In-state tuition and fees average $15,320, compared with $42,516 for out-of-state students. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $21,926 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from University Of Oregon generally make around $52,401. That is a strong return on a $21,926 median debt. University Of Oregon admits about 88% of applicants.
Willamette University came in at #9 for value in communication & journalism this year. Set in the city of Salem, Willamette University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,156. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the communication & journalism program here. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Willamette University generally make around $31,472. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Linfield College ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value communication & journalism schools. Located in the town of McMinnville, Linfield College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $51,736. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $27,000. Communication & Journalism graduates of Linfield College earn a median of $30,860 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Linfield College admits about 85% of applicants.
University Of Portland landed the #11 spot for communication & journalism value this year. University Of Portland is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Portland. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,100. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $20,828. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from University Of Portland generally make around $35,605. That is a strong return on a $20,828 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Lewis And Clark College placed #12 among the best values for communication & journalism. Located in the city of Portland, Lewis And Clark College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $64,828 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the communication & journalism program here. 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. Lewis And Clark College admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
