2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Florida

[General Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/general-journalism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general journalism students.
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2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Journalism Schools
University Of Florida tops our 2026 list of the best value general journalism schools in Florida. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,381, compared with $28,659 for out-of-state students. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $17,054 in student loans. General Journalism graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of $38,164 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,054 median debt. University Of Florida admits about 24% of applicants.
University Of Central Florida is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Orlando, University Of Central Florida is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,368, while out-of-state students pay about $22,467. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $22,644 in student loans. Early-career general journalism graduates make about $40,945. Set against $22,644 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 40%.
University Of South Florida Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,410, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Students borrow a median of $21,829 to complete the general journalism program here. General Journalism graduates of University Of South Florida Main Campus earn a median of $52,885 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 43%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University earned it the #4 place for general journalism. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,785, while out-of-state students pay about $17,725. Typical student debt for general journalism graduates is $27,393. General Journalism graduates of Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University earn a median of $36,356 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,393 median debt. The acceptance rate is 21%.
A rank of #5 makes Flagler College St Augustine one of the best values for general journalism. Located in the suburb of Saint Augustine, Flagler College St Augustine is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $29,900. Students borrow a median of $25,750 to complete the general journalism program here. Early-career general journalism graduates make about $27,863. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Full Sail University placed #6 among the best values for general journalism. Set in the suburb of Winter Park, Full Sail University is a very large private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,906. Typical student debt for general journalism graduates is $30,000. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from Full Sail University generally make around $41,887. Set against $30,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The University Of Tampa placed #7 among the best values for general journalism. Located in the city of Tampa, The University Of Tampa is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,408. Students borrow a median of $25,191 to complete the general journalism program here. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from The University Of Tampa generally make around $45,401. That is a strong return on a $25,191 median debt. The University Of Tampa admits about 40% of applicants.
University Of Miami earned the #8 position for value in general journalism this year. University Of Miami is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Coral Gables. Students from in state pay about $62,616 in tuition and fees. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $16,000 in student loans. Early-career general journalism graduates make about $41,378. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 19%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.