2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Virginia
[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 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general journalism students.
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2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Journalism Schools
Leading the list is Radford University, our #1 best value for general journalism in Virginia. Set in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,548, while out-of-state students pay about $25,633. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $26,135 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from Radford University generally make around $25,675. That is a strong return on a $26,135 median debt. Radford University admits about 90% of applicants.
Washington And Lee University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general journalism schools. Set in the town of Lexington, Washington And Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,045. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $20,074 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general journalism degree recipients from Washington And Lee University generally make around $76,810. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Hampton University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Hampton, Hampton University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,592. Students borrow a median of $26,250 to complete the general journalism program here. General Journalism graduates of Hampton University earn a median of $28,324 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 8 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.
