[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong communication & media studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked South Dakota State University the best value for a degree in communication & media studies in South Dakota. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,500. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $39,173. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Dakota earned it the #2 place for communication & media studies. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,432, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of South Dakota generally make around $35,792. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Sioux Falls earned it the #3 place for communication & media studies. University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Students from in state pay about $21,750 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,103 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Sioux Falls generally make around $46,956. That is a strong return on a $26,103 median debt. University Of Sioux Falls admits about 83% of applicants.
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
View All Communication & Media Studies Rankings >
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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
