2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $48-$75k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
24
Ranked Colleges
4,720
Degrees Awarded
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 120,571 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,266 and had an average of $24,758 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Rocky Mountains region, there were 4,720 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,807 and $22,176 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 24 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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 communication and journalism program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Communication & 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 Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. 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 Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The colleges and universities below are the best for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $48-$75k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 390 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at BYU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $12,676 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 & Journalism at BYU
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Rexburg, Idaho is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 236 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at BYU - I, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $5,422 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at BYU - I
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Utah. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. U of U is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 350 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
U of U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $13,842 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Utah.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at U of U
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Colorado State University - Fort Collins landed the #4 spot on the list. Colorado State University - Fort Collins is a public institution located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 343 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Colorado State has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado State University - Fort Collins is $15,086 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Colorado State
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Utah Valley University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 203 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
UVU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UVU is $11,196 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 full report on Communication & Journalism at UVU
University of Colorado Boulder ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Colorado Boulder is a large school located in Boulder, Colorado that handed out 741 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CU - Boulder, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CU - Boulder is $18,204 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Colorado Boulder
University of Wyoming landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wyoming is a public institution located in Laramie, Wyoming. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 65 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $9,394 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wyoming.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Wyoming
Boise State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Boise State is a public institution located in Boise, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 215 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Boise State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boise State is $16,204 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Boise State
University of Idaho ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Moscow, Idaho is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 109 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of I, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Idaho is $13,998 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 U of I Communication & Journalism Report
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is a public institution located in Denver, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 173 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CU Anschutz also took the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $15,406 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 & Journalism at CU Anschutz
Weber State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Ogden, Utah, and it awarded 139 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
WSU also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend WSU is $12,318 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
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%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Weber State University
Dixie State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Saint George, Utah, this fairly large public school awarded 106 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.
Dixie State College also took the #19 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dixie State College is $14,810 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Dixie State College
With a ranking of #13, Westminster College Utah did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 40 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Westminster College Salt Lake, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Westminster College Utah is $22,177 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
Full Westminster College Utah Communication & Journalism Report
Utah State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Logan, Utah, and it awarded 138 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
USU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $13,553 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend USU.
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 more about Communication & Journalism at USU
University of Northern Colorado came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Northern Colorado is a fairly large school located in Greeley, Colorado that handed out 102 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Northern Colorado, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Colorado is $14,111 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Northern Colorado
Southern Utah University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Southern Utah University is located in Cedar City, Utah and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
Southern Utah University also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Utah University is $13,460 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full Southern Utah University Communication & Journalism Report
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this fairly large public school awarded 166 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.
UCCS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $15,342 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCCS.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Metropolitan State University of Denver ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Denver, Colorado is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
MSU Denver also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $14,679 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Full Metropolitan State University of Denver Communication & Journalism Report
The University of Montana came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Missoula, Montana, and it awarded 93 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
UM also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for UM is $15,281 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at UM
University of Denver came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Denver is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 310 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
DU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for DU is $27,767 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 & Journalism at University of Denver
Idaho State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Idaho State University is a fairly large school located in Pocatello, Idaho that handed out 45 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, ISU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ISU is $18,464 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
Full ISU Communication & Journalism Report
Colorado State University - Pueblo landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Colorado State University - Pueblo is a medium-sized public school situated in Pueblo, Colorado. It awarded 30 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Colorado State University - Pueblo has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $13,811 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Colorado State University - Pueblo.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Colorado State University - Pueblo
Regis University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. Regis University is located in Denver, Colorado and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
Regis U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Regis U is $23,019 for Rocky Mountains Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Regis U
Colorado Christian University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Lakewood, Colorado, and it awarded 33 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
CCU also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $22,749 for rocky mountains region communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Colorado Christian University.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Colorado Christian University
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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
- *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
