[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 5 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & media studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
William Carey University tops our 2026 list of the best value communication & media studies schools in Mississippi. Set in the city of Hattiesburg, William Carey University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Students borrow a median of $25,079 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of William Carey University earn a median of $46,292 early in their careers. Set against $25,079 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Jackson State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Set in the city of Jackson, Jackson State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,965, with out-of-state students paying around $11,965. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $31,624 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $24,235. Set against $31,624 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Mississippi College, which ranked #3. Mississippi College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Clinton. Students from in state pay about $23,500 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $47,611. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.
