2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that 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.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 4,541 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 238 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.
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.
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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 Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $30-$48k)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 83 diplomas to qualified masters’s communications students in 2019-2020.
Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567.
Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 12 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Pennsylvania are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #3 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Stanford University
Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #4 spot on the list. Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 128 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Johns Hopkins also took the #5 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins University are $59,425, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Johns Hopkins University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Columbia is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 87 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Columbia also took the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Columbia
Cornell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Cornell is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 4 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell are $30,042.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Cornell University
University of Florida ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 141 masters’s communications degrees to qualified students.
UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Florida
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 205 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Purdue also took the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full Purdue University - Main Campus Communication & Media Studies Report
Wake Forest University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
Wake Forest University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Wake Forest University are $39,216, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Wake Forest University
University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 10 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UW - Madison
With a ranking of #11, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 masters’s communications degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our master’s degree communications students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle excels when it comes to communications quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Communication & Media Studies Report
With a ranking of #13, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 89 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida International University are $24,211, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Florida International University
Hunter College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hunter is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 11 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter College are $20,828, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Edinburg, Texas, and it awarded 10 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are $15,151, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s communications degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #18, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 7 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
IU Bloomington also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s communications students in 2019-2020.
UMN Twin Cities also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities are $28,845.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
With a ranking of #20, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 19 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of South Florida - Main Campus are $21,126, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at USF Tampa
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 38 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Cal State Fullerton
With a ranking of #22, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Washington State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wazzu is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 masters’s communications degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Wazzu also did well on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wazzu are $27,561.
University of Central Florida came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 20 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCF are $28,657.
Brooklyn College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Brooklyn, New York, and it awarded 4 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Brooklyn College are $20,952, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Brooklyn College
Rest of the Best 36 in Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
Not only did these schools make the top 36 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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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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