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2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k

17 Ranked Colleges
943 Degrees Awarded
$15,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor's in Tennessee 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 Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Communication & Media Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 68,079 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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 Tennessee, there were 1,049 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,090 and $26,922 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 943 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree in communication and media studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communication and media studies programs, but they also cost less that 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

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

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

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Vanderbilt University

#2

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Murfreesboro, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 172 students in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $10,637 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Middle Tennessee State University Communication & Media Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is a fairly large school located in Chattanooga, Tennessee that handed out 113 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is $10,515 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 135 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Knoxville is $13,745 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UT Knoxville

#5

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Tennessee State University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Tennessee State University also took the #10 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $11,711 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Tennessee State University Communication & Media Studies Report

#6

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

ETSU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend East Tennessee State University is $12,703 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at ETSU

#7

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

With a ranking of #7, University of Memphis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.

UofM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $12,264 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Memphis.

Full University of Memphis Communication & Media Studies Report

With a ranking of #8, The University of Tennessee - Martin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Martin, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Martin has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Martin is $9,855 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UT Martin

#9

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Lee University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Lee University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $15,543 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lee University.

Full Lee University Communication & Media Studies Report

#10

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Peay State University is $12,298 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Austin Peay State University

#11

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #11, Johnson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Johnson University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $16,404 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Johnson University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Johnson University Communication & Media Studies Report

#12

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee

Carson - Newman University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Carson - Newman has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carson - Newman University is $14,044 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Carson - Newman University

#13

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Belmont is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 39 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Belmont did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Belmont is $26,275 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 more about Communication & Media Studies at Belmont

#14

King University

Bristol, Tennessee

King University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. King University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bristol, Tennessee. It awarded 11 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

King also took the #7 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend King University is $20,648 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at King University

#15

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
#5 in overall quality

Lipscomb University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lipscomb University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 13 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Lipscomb did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $20,503 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lipscomb University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Lipscomb University

#16

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee

Milligan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in Milligan College, Tennessee, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, Milligan has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $15,411 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Milligan University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Milligan University

#17

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee
#8 in overall quality

Union University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Jackson, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Union, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $27,004 for tennessee bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Union.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Full Union Communication & Media Studies Report

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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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