[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/communication-and-media-studies/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in Illinois. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $37,808 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,092. Students borrow a median of $21,759 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $36,569. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville admits about 98% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Governors State University, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of University Park, Governors State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,004. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $20,340. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Governors State University generally make around $27,071. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Governors State University admits about 48% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Students borrow a median of $26,543 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $32,465 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,543 median debt. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admits about 87% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at North Park University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Chicago, North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $36,710. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,360. Communication & Media Studies graduates of North Park University earn a median of $51,611 early in their careers. Set against $27,360 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Park University admits about 68% of applicants.
Illinois State University came in at #6 for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $20,125 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $41,670. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Olivet Nazarene University landed the #7 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Olivet Nazarene University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bourbonnais. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,900. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Olivet Nazarene University generally make around $23,259. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 56%.
Depaul University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $22,916. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $40,421 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
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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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
