2026 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in South Dakota
[Communication & Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & journalism students.
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2026 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in communication & journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools
For return on investment in communication & journalism, no school beat South Dakota State University this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Communication & Journalism graduates carry a median of $26,825 in student loans. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $39,714. That is a strong return on a $26,825 median debt. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of South Dakota one of the best values for communication & journalism. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. Students from in state pay about $9,432 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from University Of South Dakota generally make around $35,792. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
University Of Sioux Falls is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,750. Typical student debt for communication & journalism graduates is $26,103. Early-career communication & journalism graduates make about $46,956. Set against $26,103 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.
More Communication & Journalism Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
