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2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina

20 Ranked Colleges
3,783 Degrees Awarded
$17,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 North Carolina, there were 3,783 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,114 and $24,752 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and journalism program at the school. 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 North Carolina” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina

The colleges and universities below are the best for north carolina communication & journalism students.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism in North Carolina

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 696 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $12,469 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2
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East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend East Carolina University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina list. East Carolina University is a large public school situated in Greenville, North Carolina. It awarded 345 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

ECU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $16,550 for north carolina communication & journalism students per year to attend East Carolina University.

Full ECU Communication & Journalism Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina list. UNC Charlotte is a public institution located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 310 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Charlotte, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $17,634 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

4
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Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Appalachian State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina. Appalachian State University is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 335 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students list, Appalachian State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $13,989 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Appalachian State

5

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #5 spot on the list. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 195 students in 2020-2021.

UNC Greensboro also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $11,629 for north carolina communication & journalism students per year to attend UNC Greensboro.

Full UNC Greensboro Communication & Journalism Report

6
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North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 264 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $16,411 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at North Carolina State University

7

University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 225 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students list, UNCW has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Wilmington is $19,136 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

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

Full UNCW Communication & Journalism Report

8
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North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 169 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

NC A&T not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina A & T State University is $10,563 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at NC A&T

9
North Carolina Central University crest
North Carolina Central University
Durham, North Carolina

North Carolina Central University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #9. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

North Carolina Central University also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina Central University is $14,332 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at North Carolina Central University

10

University of North Carolina at Asheville landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. UNCA is a small school located in Asheville, North Carolina that handed out 55 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

UNCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNCA is $12,551 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UNCA

11
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Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #11. Cullowhee, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students list, WCU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $13,924 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Western Carolina University

12

University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #12. UNC Pembroke is a medium-sized public school situated in Pembroke, North Carolina. It awarded 51 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students list, UNC Pembroke has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Pembroke is $10,792 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UNC Pembroke

13
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Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina

Queens University of Charlotte landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 95 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Queens also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $27,026 for north carolina communication & journalism students per year to attend Queens.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Queens University of Charlotte

14
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Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina list. This medium-sized school is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and it awarded 17 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Fayetteville State University also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Fayetteville State University is $6,969 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Fayetteville State University

15
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Winston - Salem State University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston - Salem State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

WSSU also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $12,415 for north carolina communication & journalism students per year to attend Winston - Salem State University.

Full WSSU Communication & Journalism Report

16
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Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

Elon University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #16. Elon is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Elon, North Carolina. It awarded 317 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Elon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend Elon University is $38,122 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.

Full Elon Communication & Journalism Report

17
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Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina

Johnson C Smith University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. Johnson C Smith University is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

JCSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $20,792 for North Carolina Communication & Journalism students per year to attend JCSU.

Full Johnson C Smith University Communication & Journalism Report

18
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Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Catawba College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #18. Catawba is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Salisbury, North Carolina. It awarded 15 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Catawba also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Catawba College is $18,702 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Catawba

19
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Wingate University
Wingate, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, Wingate University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Wingate, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina communication & journalism students list, Wingate has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wingate University is $20,827 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

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 Wingate

20
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 156 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Forest University is $32,845 for north carolina communication & journalism students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Wake Forest University

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