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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

173 Ranked Colleges
12,784 Degrees Awarded
$9,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 68,079 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 9th most popular in the country. 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 Southeast region, there were 14,617 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,483 and $26,130 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 12,784 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 173 colleges that offered a degree in communication and media studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great communication and media studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Media Studies Schools

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 Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

#1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Out of the 173 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 598 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $6,063 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Communication & Media Studies Report

#2

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 173 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #2 spot on the list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $6,017 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Vanderbilt

#3

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 113 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Forest University is $5,981 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Wake Forest University Communication & Media Studies Report

Out of the 173 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #4 spot on the list. Florida International University is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 588 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

FIU also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $6,683 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend FIU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full FIU Communication & Media Studies Report

Out of the 173 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school awarded 461 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USF Tampa, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $5,616 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at USF Tampa

University of Central Florida landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 403 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UCF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,847 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCF.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UCF

#7

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

The University of West Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 104 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of West Florida is $3,912 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UWF

#8

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky

With a ranking of #8, Berea College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Berea is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Kentucky. It awarded 24 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Berea is $5,296 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Berea College

#9

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. North Carolina State University is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 199 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $9,887 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at NC State

#10

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 246 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNF is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $5,942 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida Communication & Media Studies Report

#11

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #11, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Georgia is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 135 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UGA also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $10,241 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UGA.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UGA

#12

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Northern Kentucky University is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northern Kentucky University is $6,295 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Northern Kentucky University

#13

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Fort Myers, Florida, this fairly large public school awarded 187 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

FGCU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Florida Gulf Coast University is $8,748 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Florida Gulf Coast University Communication & Media Studies Report

#14

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 178 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $14,010 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Virginia Tech

#15

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Florida

Florida State College at Jacksonville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FSCJ is $3,680 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Florida State College at Jacksonville

#16

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #16, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 203 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $7,331 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Florida Atlantic University

#17

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #17, James Madison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. James Madison University is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 451 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, JMU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,726 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend James Madison University.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at James Madison University

#18

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Appalachian State is also in the top of our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $9,884 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Appalachian State University Communication & Media Studies Report

#19

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it awarded 206 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNC Greensboro is $10,808 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UNC Greensboro

#20

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Elizabeth City State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. ECSU is a public institution located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,919 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elizabeth City State University.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Elizabeth City State University

#20

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia
Top 25% in overall quality

West Virginia University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. WVU is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,486 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend West Virginia University.

Full WVU Communication & Media Studies Report

#22

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tulane is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Orleans, Louisiana. It awarded 114 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Tulane not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tulane University of Louisiana is $24,632 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Tulane

#23

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dahlonega, Georgia, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UNG is $8,707 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UNG

#24

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, Louisiana

With a ranking of #24, McNeese State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lake Charles, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for McNeese State University is $16,492 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full McNeese State University Communication & Media Studies Report

#25

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ECU is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 302 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

ECU also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for East Carolina University is $12,195 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at East Carolina University

Rest of the Best 26 in Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, Arkansas

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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.

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