2026 Best Value Speech Communication Schools in Alabama

[Speech Communication](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/speech-communication/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong speech communication education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for speech communication students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Speech Communication Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in speech communication, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Speech Communication Schools
For return on investment in speech communication, no school beat University Of North Alabama this year. University Of North Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Florence. Students from in state pay about $12,120 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,320. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the speech communication program here. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $30,182. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Alabama admits about 87% of applicants.
Troy University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value speech communication schools. Set in the town of Troy, Troy University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,176, with out-of-state students paying around $20,352. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $40,859. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Troy University admits about 96% of applicants.
Auburn University At Montgomery is a great value for students pursuing a degree in speech communication, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,700 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,668 for out-of-state students. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $27,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from Auburn University At Montgomery generally make around $31,354. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Alabama State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in speech communication, landing the #4 spot this year. Alabama State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Montgomery. In-state tuition and fees average $11,248, compared with $19,576 for out-of-state students. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $32,750 in student loans. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $21,996. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Alabama State University admits about 98% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in speech communication will find it at University Of South Alabama, which ranked #5. University Of South Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Mobile. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,116, while out-of-state students pay about $19,092. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from University Of South Alabama generally make around $30,153. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham came in at #6 for value in speech communication this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,098, with out-of-state students paying around $22,562. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the speech communication program here. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $39,139. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. University Of Alabama At Birmingham admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Alabama At Huntsville ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value speech communication schools. University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Huntsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,132, compared with $26,408 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,797 to complete the speech communication program here. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from University Of Alabama At Huntsville generally make around $41,713. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Alabama At Huntsville admits about 69% of applicants.
The University Of Alabama earned the #8 position for value in speech communication this year. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, with out-of-state students paying around $34,172. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $25,000. Speech Communication graduates of The University Of Alabama earn a median of $50,351 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Samford University came in at #9 for value in speech communication this year. Located in the suburb of Birmingham, Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,150. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $21,039 in student loans. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $39,690. That is a strong return on a $21,039 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More Speech Communication Rankings
View All Speech Communication Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.