2026 Best Value Speech Communication Schools in Missouri
[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools to find the best return on investment for speech communication students.
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2026 Best Value Speech Communication Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the speech communication degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Speech Communication Schools
Our analysis ranked Missouri Southern State University the best value for a degree in speech communication in Missouri. Set in the city of Joplin, Missouri Southern State University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,600, with out-of-state students paying around $18,300. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $18,350. Speech Communication graduates of Missouri Southern State University earn a median of $30,201 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Missouri Southern State University admits about 97% of applicants.
Truman State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value speech communication schools. Located in the town of Kirksville, Truman State University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,838 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,566. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the speech communication program here. Speech Communication graduates of Truman State University earn a median of $31,853 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Truman State University admits about 84% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Kansas City is a great value for students pursuing a degree in speech communication, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,371, with out-of-state students paying around $32,271. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $21,982. Speech Communication graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of $38,786 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,982 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri St Louis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in speech communication, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $15,120 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Students borrow a median of $21,326 to complete the speech communication program here. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $32,809. Set against $21,326 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Missouri St Louis admits about 63% of applicants.
Missouri Western State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in speech communication, landing the #5 spot this year. Missouri Western State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Saint Joseph. In-state tuition and fees average $9,545, compared with $18,455 for out-of-state students. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $24,362 in student loans. Speech Communication graduates of Missouri Western State University earn a median of $41,107 early in their careers. Set against $24,362 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northwest Missouri State University came in at #6 for value in speech communication this year. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,611 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the speech communication program here. Speech Communication graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn a median of $34,195 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Central Missouri placed #7 among the best values for speech communication. University Of Central Missouri is a large public school located in the town of Warrensburg. Students from in state pay about $10,050 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,600 for out-of-state students. Speech Communication graduates carry a median of $22,312 in student loans. Speech Communication graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $45,496 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,312 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #8 for value in speech communication this year. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $25,000. Speech Communication graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $38,584 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Avila University earned the #9 position for value in speech communication this year. Avila University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Kansas City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,200. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the speech communication program here. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from Avila University generally make around $33,905. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Avila University admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value speech communication schools. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the speech communication program here. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $44,078. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Lindenwood University landed the #11 spot for speech communication value this year. Set in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,600. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $28,500. Soon after graduation, speech communication degree recipients from Lindenwood University generally make around $50,346. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lindenwood University admits about 57% of applicants.
Webster University landed the #12 spot for speech communication value this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,750. Typical student debt for speech communication graduates is $30,500. Early-career speech communication graduates make about $55,445. Set against $30,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
More Speech Communication Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
