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2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Media Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

130 Ranked Colleges
14,755 Degrees Awarded
$12,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,115 and had an average of $25,414 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 14,755 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,329 and $27,106 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 130 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Media Studies Schools

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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 in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region communications students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Media Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 668 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $12,469 for southeast region communications students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 UNC Chapel Hill

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 130 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 189 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $5,135 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 University of Florida

3

Out of the 130 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 403 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa also took the #10 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $8,346 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full USF Tampa Communication & Media Studies Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 573 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,298 for southeast region communications students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Florida International University

5
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Georgia. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 180 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also took the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $14,257 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid per year to attend UGA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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

6

University of Central Florida landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 470 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

UCF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,618 for southeast region communications students with aid per year to attend University of Central Florida.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 UCF Communication & Media Studies Report

7
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UNF is a public institution located in Jacksonville, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 221 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Florida is $8,865 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNF Communication & Media Studies Report

8
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Berea College
Berea, Kentucky

Berea College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Berea is a private not-for-profit institution located in Berea, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,222 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid per year to attend Berea.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Berea

9
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Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. FAU is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 210 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend FAU is $10,735 for southeast region communications students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 FAU

10
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 82 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $13,989 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Appalachian State

11

The University of West Florida ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UWF is a fairly large school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 98 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of West Florida is $7,089 for southeast region communications students with aid.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UWF

12
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East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 345 students in 2020-2021.

ECU also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $16,550 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at ECU

13

University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 195 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,629 for southeast region communications students with aid per year to attend UNC Greensboro.

Full University of North Carolina at Greensboro Communication & Media Studies Report

14
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. NKU is a fairly large public school situated in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It awarded 58 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,183 for southeast region communications students with aid per year to attend Northern Kentucky University.

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

15
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 266 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also took the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,301 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Virginia Tech Communication & Media Studies Report

16
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. WVU is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 101 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,355 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid per year to attend West Virginia University.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at WVU

17
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. James Madison University is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 446 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

JMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $22,562 for southeast region communications students with aid per year to attend JMU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at James Madison University

17
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UARK is a large school located in Fayetteville, Arkansas that handed out 262 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

UARK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UARK is $16,507 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Arkansas Communication & Media Studies Report

19
FGCU crest
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Fort Myers, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 186 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend FGCU is $11,299 for southeast region communications students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at FGCU

20

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Louisiana State University is a large public school situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It awarded 326 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Louisiana State University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $17,811 for southeast region 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 undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Louisiana State University

21

Florida State College at Jacksonville landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 25 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend FSCJ is $3,129 for southeast region communications students with aid.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at FSCJ

22

University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 310 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $17,634 for southeast region communications students with aid per year to attend UNC Charlotte.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Communication & Media Studies Report

23
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It awarded 134 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $12,752 for southeast region communications students with aid.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Middle Tennessee State University

24
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #24, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 235 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

NC State also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $16,411 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full NC State Communication & Media Studies Report

25
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

With a ranking of #25, North Carolina A & T State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 169 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend North Carolina A & T State University is $10,563 for Southeast Region Communications students with aid.

Full North Carolina A & T State University Communication & Media Studies Report

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