2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
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 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 Getting Aid” ranking looked at 174 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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 the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
Out of the 174 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 598 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $12,352 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Out of the 174 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Berea College landed the #2 spot on the list. Berea College is a small school located in Berea, Kentucky that handed out 24 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Berea is $5,184 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%. 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.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 588 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid list, FIU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $7,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Florida International University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of South Florida - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 461 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
USF Tampa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,355 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid per year to attend USF Tampa.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 USF Tampa
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Central Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 403 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UCF also took the #14 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Florida is $10,274 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
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%. 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Central Florida
Florida Gulf Coast University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution located in Fort Myers, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 187 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, FGCU also did well on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Florida Gulf Coast University is $11,606 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida State College at Jacksonville 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 Getting Aid ranking. Florida State College at Jacksonville is located in Jacksonville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for FSCJ is $3,916 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
University of North Florida landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid 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.
In addition to being on this list, UNF is in the top on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Florida is $9,606 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
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%.
With a ranking of #9, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UWF is a fairly large school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 104 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of West Florida is $7,406 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
North Carolina State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 199 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $16,458 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
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%.
Appalachian State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. 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.
Appalachian State excels when it comes to communications quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State is $13,920 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at Appalachian State University
With a ranking of #12, University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 206 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UNC Greensboro is $12,748 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
With a ranking of #13, Northern Kentucky University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. 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 estimated yearly cost for NKU is $9,049 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Northern Kentucky University
James Madison University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. JMU is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 451 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid list, JMU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for JMU is $22,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full James Madison University Communication & Media Studies Report
University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 135 students in 2019-2020.
UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $13,649 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
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.
Full University of Georgia Communication & Media Studies Report
Florida Atlantic University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school handed out 203 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Florida Atlantic University is $10,186 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Florida Atlantic University
Elizabeth City State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, this small public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Elizabeth City State University is $2,350 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
Virginia Tech landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid 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.
Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $21,198 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Virginia Tech
With a ranking of #19, North Carolina A & T State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. NC A&T is a fairly large school located in Greensboro, North Carolina that handed out 164 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,274 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid per year to attend North Carolina A & T State University.
Full North Carolina A & T State University Communication & Media Studies Report
West Virginia University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid 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 $12,983 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid per year to attend West Virginia University.
McNeese State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. McNeese State University is a medium-sized school located in Lake Charles, Louisiana that handed out 31 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend McNeese State University is $12,267 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at McNeese State University
East Carolina University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Carolina University is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 302 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
ECU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $15,844 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Full East Carolina University Communication & Media Studies Report
Middle Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 172 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $12,464 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Middle Tennessee State University
With a ranking of #24, Augusta University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Augusta University is a medium-sized public school situated in Augusta, Georgia. It awarded 35 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Augusta University is $11,136 for southeast region bachelor’s degree communications students with aid.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Augusta University
University of North Georgia came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid 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 $10,396 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students with aid.
Full University of North Georgia Communication & Media Studies Report
Rest of the Best 27 in Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid
Not only did these schools make the top 27 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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