2022 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 121,387 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,549 and had an average of $24,893 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 12,513 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,547 and $23,301 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 66 colleges that offer a degree in communication and journalism. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communication and journalism programs, but they also 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 journalism 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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One Size Does Not Fit All
The communication & journalism school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.
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. 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 Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 26 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central New Mexico Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it awarded 100 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
CNM also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $3,626 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Central New Mexico Community College.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 145 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $3,473 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Texas. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Texas is a large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 558 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
UNT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNT is $9,082 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full University of North Texas Communication & Journalism Report
Out of the 66 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this large public school handed out 387 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
University of Arizona also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $11,466 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Arizona.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Arizona
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at San Antonio. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UTSA is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 304 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
UTSA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UTSA is $11,109 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 472 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M College Station is $13,270 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 full report on Communication & Journalism at Texas A&M University - College Station
Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 866 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k list, ASU - Tempe has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $8,921 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Texas A&M International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Texas A&M International University is located in Laredo, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M International University is $2,298 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Texas A&M International University Communication & Journalism Report
The University of Texas at Austin came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UT Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 1,415 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $13,575 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full The University of Texas at Austin Communication & Journalism Report
With a ranking of #10, Texas Tech University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas Tech is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 619 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas Tech also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech is $13,326 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Texas Tech University
Southeastern Oklahoma State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a medium-sized school located in Durant, Oklahoma that handed out 12 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $6,704 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Full Southeastern Oklahoma State University Communication & Journalism Report
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
OSU also took the #21 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is $9,962 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Communication & Journalism Report
Trinity University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 40 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
Trinity U also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $12,991 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Trinity U.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 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.
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UT Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Permian Basin has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is $10,221 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a ranking of #15, University of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 344 students in 2019-2020.
UH also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for University of Houston is $9,925 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
With a ranking of #16, MSU Texas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Wichita Falls, Texas, and it awarded 27 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend MSU Texas is $8,554 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a ranking of #17, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Texas at Dallas is located in Richardson, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
UT Dallas also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $11,745 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The University of Texas at Dallas.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at The University of Texas at Dallas
East Central University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. East Central University is a public institution located in Ada, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for ECU is $8,259 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at East Central University
Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. ASU - Skysong is a public institution located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 804 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
ASU - Skysong also took the #12 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Skysong is $12,020 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Arizona State University - Skysong
Texas State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas State University is a large public school situated in San Marcos, Texas. It awarded 762 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas State is $12,292 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a ranking of #20, The University of Texas at Tyler did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Tyler, Texas, and it awarded 25 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Tyler is $7,058 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full The University of Texas at Tyler Communication & Journalism Report
Angelo State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Angelo State University is a public institution located in San Angelo, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,516 for Southwest Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Angelo State.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Angelo State University
With a ranking of #22, University of Phoenix - Arizona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large private for-profit school awarded 304 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
UOPX - Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UOPX - Arizona is $13,378 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Phoenix - Arizona
The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Arlington, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 266 students in 2019-2020.
UT Arlington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Arlington is $12,974 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 165 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UTEP is $7,427 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full The University of Texas at El Paso Communication & Journalism Report
With a ranking of #25, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. New Mexico State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 47 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $7,006 for southwest region communication & journalism students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NMSU Main Campus.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at New Mexico State University - Main Campus
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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 Josh Hallett.
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