2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism (Income $0-$30k)

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 Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
General Journalism is the 58th most popular major in the country with 12,336 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 917 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 52 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general journalism 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 general journalism program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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More Ways to Rank General Journalism 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 Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 120 masters’s journalism degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about General Journalism at Northwestern University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgetown University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Georgetown has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgetown are $53,591, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 52 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #3 spot on the list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s journalism degrees to qualified students.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 5 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #11. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.
Out of the 52 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Maryland - College Park landed the #5 spot on the list. UMCP is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UMCP also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Maryland - College Park are $30,885, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about General Journalism at University of Maryland - College Park
With a ranking of #6, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
USF Tampa also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at USF Tampa are $21,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #7, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 12 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Northeastern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern University are $25,558, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. University of Missouri - Columbia is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 73 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Mizzou are $27,193.
Read more about General Journalism at University of Missouri - Columbia
Iowa State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
Iowa State also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Iowa State University are $25,948, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. San Juan, is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UPR Rio Piedras are $3,620, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Boston University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston U is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 30 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Boston U are $57,666.
Michigan State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 5 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State University are $37,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of North Texas came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Texas is a public institution located in Denton, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UNT are $15,618.
University of Iowa came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Iowa are $27,613, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Arizona landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Arizona is a large school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 14 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Arizona also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #22. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399.
Read full report on General Journalism at University of Arizona
University of Mississippi landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Mississippi are $25,099.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 28 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Nebraska - Lincoln are $19,513.
St. Bonaventure University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Saint Bonaventure, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s journalism degrees to 42 students in 2019-2020.
St. Bonaventure also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at St. Bonaventure University are $14,850, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Journalism at St. Bonaventure University
Ball State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2019-2020.
Ball State also took the #0 spot in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State are $26,204, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Marshall University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Huntington, West Virginia, and it awarded 5 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Marshall University are $21,162, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Journalism at Marshall University
With a ranking of #21, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 70 degrees to qualified masters’s journalism students in 2019-2020.
USC also made our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #22, West Virginia University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. WVU is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s journalism degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at West Virginia University are $26,154.
University of Colorado Boulder came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Colorado Boulder is a large public school situated in Boulder, Colorado. It awarded 8 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree journalism students whose families make $0-$30k list, CU - Boulder has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CU - Boulder are $32,980.
With a ranking of #24, University of Nevada - Reno did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNR is a large public school situated in Reno, Nevada. It awarded 8 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Nevada - Reno are $21,971, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 6 masters’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best General Journalism Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886.
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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 Jfurrer.
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