2026 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools in North Carolina

[Communication Sciences](/majors/health-care-professions/communication-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for communication sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Communication Sciences Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Greensboro, our #1 best value for communication sciences in North Carolina. Set in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Communication Sciences graduates carry a median of $22,699 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication sciences degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Greensboro generally make around $54,267. Set against $22,699 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication sciences will find it at Western Carolina University, which ranked #2. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Students from in state pay about $4,630 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,630. Communication Sciences graduates carry a median of $21,287 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication sciences degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $39,097. That is a strong return on a $21,287 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication sciences will find it at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,994, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete the communication sciences program here. Early-career communication sciences graduates make about $64,115. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 15%.
Students looking for strong value in communication sciences will find it at North Carolina Central University, which ranked #4. North Carolina Central University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Durham. In-state tuition and fees average $6,699, with out-of-state students paying around $19,735. Communication Sciences graduates carry a median of $31,173 in student loans. Communication Sciences graduates of North Carolina Central University earn a median of $57,400 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication sciences, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, with out-of-state students paying around $25,212. Communication Sciences graduates carry a median of $19,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication sciences degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $33,735. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University earned the #6 position for value in communication sciences this year. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Typical student debt for communication sciences graduates is $25,250. Communication Sciences graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $69,294 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
More Communication Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.