
[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value communication & media studies schools.
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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 Montgomery College this year. Located in the city of Rockville, Montgomery College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,394, while out-of-state students pay about $14,250. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $11,230 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $24,833. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Maryland University College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,136, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $27,971 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Maryland University College generally make around $53,513. That is a strong return on a $27,971 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Prince Georges Community College one of the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the suburb of Largo, Prince Georges Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,034 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,762. Students borrow a median of $13,949 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Prince Georges Community College earn a median of $56,960 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,949 median debt.
University Of Maryland College Park is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,809, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Students borrow a median of $20,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $43,696. Set against $20,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Frostburg State University one of the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the town of Frostburg, Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,220, while out-of-state students pay about $25,814. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Frostburg State University generally make around $28,720. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Frostburg State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Salisbury University landed the #6 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,084, while out-of-state students pay about $22,174. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $22,250. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Salisbury University generally make around $34,704. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Towson University placed #7 among the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,728, compared with $29,820 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $20,309. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Towson University generally make around $42,657. That is a strong return on a $20,309 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Johns Hopkins University landed the #8 spot for communication & media studies value this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,730. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $13,426 in student loans. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $82,754. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County placed #9 among the best values for communication & media studies. University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. Students from in state pay about $13,256 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,225. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $24,389. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Maryland Baltimore County generally make around $30,737. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Mcdaniel College came in at #10 for value in communication & media studies this year. Mcdaniel College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Westminster. In-state tuition and fees average $52,081. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $32,402. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Hood College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Hood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Frederick. Students from in state pay about $47,700 in tuition and fees. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $24,703 in student loans. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Hood College earn a median of $20,422 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,703 median debt. Hood College admits about 78% of applicants.
Goucher College placed #12 among the best values for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Baltimore, Goucher College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $53,350. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,000. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $43,670. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Mount St Marys University placed #13 among the best values for communication & media studies. Mount St Marys University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Emmitsburg. In-state tuition and fees average $48,630. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,312. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Mount St Marys University earn a median of $39,055 early in their careers. Set against $26,312 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Stevenson University placed #14 among the best values for communication & media studies. Stevenson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Owings Mills. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,560. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,042. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $42,647. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Stevenson University admits about 79% of applicants.
Loyola University Baltimore earned the #15 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Set in the city of Baltimore, Loyola University Baltimore is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $57,150. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,000. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Loyola University Baltimore earn a median of $42,640 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Loyola University Baltimore admits about 76% of applicants.
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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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.