by our College Data Analytics Team
[Communication & Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & journalism education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & journalism students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & journalism degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in communication & journalism, no school beat Minot State University this year. Located in the city of Minot, Minot State University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,702. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $25,788 in student loans. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $50,645. That is a strong return on a $25,788 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Dakota State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for communication & journalism. North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Fargo. Students from in state pay about $10,910 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,564. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $39,223. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Mary is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $22,356. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $26,983. Communication & Journalism graduates of University Of Mary earn a median of $65,565 early in their careers. Set against $26,983 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Dakota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,951, with out-of-state students paying around $15,570. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $34,963. That is a strong return on a $24,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
