[Instructional Media Design](/majors/education/instructional-media-design/) 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 21 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for instructional media design students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in instructional media design, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Suny Empire State College the best value for a degree in instructional media design in New York. Suny Empire State College is a large public school located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs. Students from in state pay about $7,648 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,558. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $23,693. Instructional Media Design graduates of Suny Empire State College earn a median of $58,140 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in instructional media design will find it at Suny College At Brockport, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Brockport, Suny College At Brockport is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,752, while out-of-state students pay about $15,822. Instructional Media Design graduates carry a median of $24,757 in student loans. Soon after graduation, instructional media design degree recipients from Suny College At Brockport generally make around $39,724. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny College At Brockport admits about 71% of applicants.
Suny At Albany is a great value for students pursuing a degree in instructional media design, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Albany, Suny At Albany is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,601 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $30,991. Students borrow a median of $23,521 to complete the instructional media design program here. Soon after graduation, instructional media design degree recipients from Suny At Albany generally make around $44,736. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. Suny At Albany admits about 69% of applicants.
Suny College At Oneonta came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value instructional media design schools. Located in the town of Oneonta, Suny College At Oneonta is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,831, with out-of-state students paying around $19,781. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $22,046. Early-career instructional media design graduates make about $69,962. Set against $22,046 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in instructional media design will find it at Touro College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of New York, Touro College is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,052. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $20,285. Early-career instructional media design graduates make about $60,520. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Molloy College earned the #6 position for value in instructional media design this year. Located in the suburb of Rockville Centre, Molloy College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,790. Students borrow a median of $27,420 to complete the instructional media design program here. Instructional Media Design graduates of Molloy College earn a median of $65,544 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,420 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Adelphi University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value instructional media design schools. Set in the suburb of Garden City, Adelphi University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $48,775 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,487 to complete the instructional media design program here. Instructional Media Design graduates of Adelphi University earn a median of $51,037 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 66%.
New York University placed #8 among the best values for instructional media design. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,796. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $21,897. Instructional Media Design graduates of New York University earn a median of $64,516 early in their careers. Set against $21,897 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Syracuse University placed #9 among the best values for instructional media design. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Instructional Media Design graduates carry a median of $26,130 in student loans. Early-career instructional media design graduates make about $54,785. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
