[Other Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/other-communication-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 4 schools to find the best return on investment for other communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the other communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is University Of The Incarnate Word, our #1 best value for other communication & media studies in Texas. Located in the city of San Antonio, University Of The Incarnate Word is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,090. Other Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of The Incarnate Word generally make around $51,876. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Methodist University earned it the #2 place for other communication & media studies. Located in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,040. Typical student debt for other communication & media studies graduates is $20,712. Soon after graduation, other communication & media studies degree recipients from Southern Methodist University generally make around $70,632. That is a strong return on a $20,712 median debt. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
More Other Communication & Media Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 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.
