2026 Best Value Advertising Schools in Texas
[Advertising](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/advertising/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value advertising schools.
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2026 Best Value Advertising Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in advertising, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Advertising Schools
Leading the list is El Paso Community College, our #1 best value for advertising in Texas. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,274, while out-of-state students pay about $5,314. Advertising graduates carry a median of $8,542 in student loans. Soon after graduation, advertising degree recipients from El Paso Community College generally make around $29,086. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in advertising will find it at The University Of Texas At El Paso, which ranked #2. Located in the city of El Paso, The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,544, compared with $25,502 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for advertising graduates is $22,000. Early-career advertising graduates make about $33,280. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Houston one of the best values for advertising. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,717, with out-of-state students paying around $22,547. Students borrow a median of $23,800 to complete the advertising program here. Soon after graduation, advertising degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $42,472. Set against $23,800 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of North Texas one of the best values for advertising. University Of North Texas is a very large public school located in the city of Denton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,309, compared with $21,149 for out-of-state students. Advertising graduates carry a median of $21,817 in student loans. Advertising graduates of University Of North Texas earn a median of $49,157 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Texas State University San Marcos is a great value for students pursuing a degree in advertising, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Advertising graduates carry a median of $21,764 in student loans. Soon after graduation, advertising degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $40,411. That is a strong return on a $21,764 median debt. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
The University Of Texas At Austin landed the #6 spot for advertising value this year. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, with out-of-state students paying around $44,908. Advertising graduates carry a median of $20,995 in student loans. Advertising graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $51,267 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Texas Tech University earned the #7 position for value in advertising this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Typical student debt for advertising graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, advertising degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $50,074. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
Southern Methodist University earned the #8 position for value in advertising this year. Set in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,040. Advertising graduates carry a median of $19,750 in student loans. Advertising graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of $51,828 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,750 median debt. Roughly 63% 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 · 11 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.
