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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication Sciences (Income $0-$30k)

246 Ranked Colleges
11,076 Degrees Awarded
$4,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 21,991 people earned their degree in communication sciences, making the major the 48th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,716 and had an average of $35,422 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 11,076 communication sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 246 colleges that offer a degree in communication sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communication sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the communication sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. 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 Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication Sciences (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 246 schools in the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $1,866 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Communication Sciences at Northwestern University

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 246 schools in the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 70 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $1,994 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication Sciences at University of Florida

#3

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lehman College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lehman is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 103 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lehman College is $234 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communication Sciences at Lehman

#4

Queens College

Queens, New York
Top 25% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Queens College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. QC is located in Queens, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Queens College is $1,255 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at QC

Out of the 246 schools in the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 140 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to qualified students.

Cal State LA also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $1,379 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at Cal State LA

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 80 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also made our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $5,477 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW Seattle has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,850 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW Seattle.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 73 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,367 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at UW - Madison

University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 258 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UCF excels when it comes to communication sciences quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $6,211 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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%.

Full UCF Communication Sciences Report

#10

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school handed out 63 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication sciences students in 2019-2020.

UMCP also made our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $8,054 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMCP.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Sciences at University of Maryland - College Park

#11

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brooklyn College is a public institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,106 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brooklyn College.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Full Brooklyn College Communication Sciences Report

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 200 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

USF Tampa also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,950 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USF Tampa.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Communication Sciences Report

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Fresno State is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 115 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $3,264 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at California State University - Fresno

#14

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to 68 students in 2019-2020.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,483 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Communication Sciences Report

#15

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #15, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $4,969 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication Sciences at IU Bloomington

California State University - Fullerton landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 155 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,291 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State Fullerton Communication Sciences Report

#17

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida State University is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 87 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $5,360 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Florida State University Communication Sciences Report

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $2,993 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication Sciences at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

#19

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

With a ranking of #19, University of North Texas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT also claimed a top spot on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UNT is $8,521 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at University of North Texas

Top 20% in overall quality

California State University - Northridge ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 90 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN excels when it comes to communication sciences quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $5,945 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication Sciences at California State University - Northridge

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 53 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CSULB is also in the top of our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Communication Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $6,364 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Long Beach Communication Sciences Report

#22

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
Top 25% in overall quality

Truman State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Kirksville, Missouri, this small public school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,564 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Truman State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication Sciences at Truman State University

#23

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 40 bachelors’s communication sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities excels when it comes to communication sciences quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read more about Communication Sciences at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication sciences degrees to 82 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $8,194 for Bachelor’s Degree Communication Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, 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 Ohio State University - Main Campus Communication Sciences Report

Texas A&M International University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Texas A&M International University is a public institution located in Laredo, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M International University is $2,261 for bachelor’s degree communication sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Texas A&M International University Communication Sciences Report

Rest of the Best 37 in Best Value Communication Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#27

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#28

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#30

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#31

Towson University

Towson, Maryland
#32

Nevada State College

Henderson, Nevada
#34

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#35

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#36

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#37

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas

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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 Ghozt Tramp.

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