[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat Eastern Oregon University this year. 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. Students borrow a median of $29,801 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Eastern Oregon University generally make around $43,041. Set against $29,801 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Western Oregon University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Monmouth, Western Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,514, compared with $32,169 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $21,316 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $39,436. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Oregon earned it the #3 place for communication & media studies. 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. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $33,165 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,500 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
