2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
With 68,079 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, communication and media studies is the 9th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,728 and had an average of $24,931 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 6,313 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,423 and $24,273 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,234 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 56 colleges that offered a degree in communication and media studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and media studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 26 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 135 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Rio Grande Valley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $2,993 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Arizona. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 280 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Arizona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $10,562 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Arizona
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 346 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
Texas A&M College Station also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M College Station is $11,454 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Texas A&M University - College Station
Out of the 56 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #4 spot on the list. ASU - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 432 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
ASU - Tempe also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $7,044 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ASU - Tempe.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full Arizona State University - Tempe Communication & Media Studies Report
Out of the 56 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at San Antonio landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 289 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTSA, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at San Antonio is $10,516 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #6, Trinity University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
Trinity U also took the #4 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,373 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Trinity U.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Trinity University
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school awarded 272 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
UT Austin also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $12,203 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UT Austin
With a ranking of #8, Texas A&M International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Laredo, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $2,261 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas A&M International University.
Full Texas A&M International University Communication & Media Studies Report
Southeastern Oklahoma State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a medium-sized school located in Durant, Oklahoma that handed out 12 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University is $6,102 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Southeastern Oklahoma State University Communication & Media Studies Report
Texas Tech University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 77 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
Texas Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech University is $12,317 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Full Texas Tech University Communication & Media Studies Report
MSU Texas ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Wichita Falls, Texas, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend MSU Texas is $7,703 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #12, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
UT Permian Basin also took the #21 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Permian Basin is $7,889 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Communication & Media Studies Report
East Central University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. East Central University is a small public school situated in Ada, Oklahoma. It awarded 22 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $7,787 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ECU.
Arizona State University - Skysong ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. ASU - Skysong is a large public school situated in Scottsdale, Arizona. It awarded 469 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Skysong, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Skysong is $12,037 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
University of Houston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UH also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $10,203 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UH.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
The University of Texas at Tyler landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UT Tyler is a medium-sized school located in Tyler, Texas that handed out 25 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UT Tyler is $6,797 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The University of Texas at Tyler
University of Houston - Clear Lake ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Houston - Clear Lake is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UH Clear Lake not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Houston - Clear Lake is $4,517 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full University of Houston - Clear Lake Communication & Media Studies Report
With a ranking of #17, Angelo State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in San Angelo, Texas, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Angelo State also took the #23 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $9,799 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Angelo State.
Full Angelo State University Communication & Media Studies Report
University of Phoenix - Arizona ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 256 students in 2019-2020.
UOPX - Arizona also took the #11 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona is $12,601 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full University of Phoenix - Arizona Communication & Media Studies Report
Texas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 170 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas State University is $11,125 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Texas State University Communication & Media Studies Report
Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Stephen F Austin State University is a public institution located in Nacogdoches, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $8,650 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stephen F Austin State University.
Texas A&M University - San Antonio landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M University - San Antonio is $9,372 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Texas A&M San Antonio Communication & Media Studies Report
With a ranking of #22, The University of Texas at Arlington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. The University of Texas at Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 247 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Arlington, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $11,811 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Texas at Arlington.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UT Arlington
With a ranking of #23, Sam Houston State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Huntsville, Texas, and it awarded 177 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
SHSU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Sam Houston State University is $10,561 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
The University of Texas at El Paso did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. UTEP is a large public school situated in El Paso, Texas. It awarded 13 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at El Paso is $7,092 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso
University of Houston - Downtown came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Houston, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 82 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $5,065 for southwest region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Houston - Downtown.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UH Downtown
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland.
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