[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 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes 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 Murray State University, our #1 best value for communication & media studies in Kentucky. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, with out-of-state students paying around $19,836. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $23,420 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $48,423. That is a strong return on a $23,420 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at University Of The Cumberlands, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Williamsburg, University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,875. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $19,331. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $50,547. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Lindsey Wilson College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Lindsey Wilson College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Columbia. Students from in state pay about $27,808 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,769. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $25,549. That is a strong return on a $26,769 median debt.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
