Rankings / Value
Most Affordable Colleges for Communications
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Choosing a college is about more than just prestige; for many students, affordability is key. For those interested in Communications, our list highlights schools that balance quality education with financial accessibility. With the average earnings for graduates in this field at $59,738, it’s essential to find a program that offers both a solid education and a manageable financial burden.
The schools on this list are ranked by their affordability alongside critical outcomes such as graduation rates, average earnings, and student debt. These factors are crucial when evaluating how well each college prepares its students for the workforce. As you look through the rankings below, keep an eye on net prices and debt levels, as they can significantly impact your future financial stability.
Take CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College and CUNY Hunter College, for instance. Baruch shows higher earnings at $75,971 and a graduation rate of 72%, while Hunter’s graduates earn $63,163 with a lower graduation rate of 59%. The difference in earnings may suggest a stronger return on investment at Baruch, but also consider the financial trade-offs each school entails. Understanding these nuances will help you make a more informed decision as you explore your options.
Key Findings
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College has the highest earnings at $75,971.
The average graduation rate among these schools is 58%.
CUNY Hunter College offers a lower net price at $2,984.
University of Florida-Online has a graduation rate of 81%, the highest on the list.
Quick Numbers
How We Ranked
Ranked by affordability with program concentration in Communications
Read our full methodology →Earnings vs. Cost
Each dot is a ranked school. Up = higher earnings. Right = higher cost. Top-left is the best value.
Graduation Rates
Longer bars = higher graduation rate.
Top 3
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
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CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
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CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY
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Full Rankings
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · 16,154 students · Public
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · 16,289 students · Public
CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY · 10,543 students · Public
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · 35,629 students · Public
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY · 12,550 students · Public
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL · 4,627 students · Public
CUNY City College
New York, NY · 12,505 students · Public
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · 20,752 students · Public
Florida International University
Miami, FL · 39,508 students · Public
Texas A & M International University
Laredo, TX · 6,667 students · Public
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL · 23,757 students · Public
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL · 37,207 students · Public
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY · 8,246 students · Public
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL · 59,146 students · Public
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL · 13,359 students · Public
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · 19,562 students · Public
University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL · 9,330 students · Public
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, MI · 12,351 students · Public
California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA · 15,023 students · Public
Murray State University
Murray, KY · 6,688 students · Public
California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA · 38,546 students · Public
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · 32,212 students · Public
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX · 21,005 students · Public
Kentucky State University
Frankfort, KY · 1,309 students · Public
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA · 16,146 students · Public
California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA · 8,577 students · Public
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · 32,691 students · Public
University of Georgia
Athens, GA · 32,137 students · Public
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · 30,580 students · Public
Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, IN · 5,671 students · Public
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · 14,062 students · Public
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC · 12,182 students · Public
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY · 12,155 students · Public
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL · 13,874 students · Public
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA · 6,622 students · Public
SUNY Buffalo State University
Buffalo, NY · 5,097 students · Public
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA · 18,639 students · Public
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL · 4,188 students · Public
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA · 21,605 students · Public
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR · 8,572 students · Public
SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, NY · 4,162 students · Public
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus
Waterbury, CT · 733 students · Public
University of Mississippi
University, MS · 21,473 students · Public
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA · 27,601 students · Public
University of North Carolina Asheville
Asheville, NC · 2,910 students · Public
Indiana University-Southeast
New Albany, IN · 3,170 students · Public
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX · 3,911 students · Public
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR · 9,110 students · Public
Indiana University-East
Richmond, IN · 2,589 students · Public
College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, MO · 1,444 students · Private nonprofit
When comparing CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College to CUNY Brooklyn College, the differences in earnings and graduation rates stand out. Baruch graduates earn $75,971, significantly higher than Brooklyn’s $60,752. Moreover, Baruch’s graduation rate of 72% outpaces Brooklyn's 55%, indicating a stronger overall performance in preparing students for successful careers.
After reviewing 50 schools, it's essential to weigh this data against your personal priorities. Consider factors like location, program fit, and campus culture alongside financial aspects. For example, if you’re leaning towards a school like the University of Florida-Online, known for its strong graduation rate, think about whether online learning meets your learning style and lifestyle.
Ultimately, these figures reflect a broader trend: the connection between education and financial stability. For families, selecting the right college is a pivotal decision that can shape not just a student’s career path but also their financial future. The right choice can lead to a solid foundation for a stable life after college, making it crucial to consider all aspects of each program.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Sources & Citations
Chetty, R., Friedman, J., Saez, E., Turner, N., & Yagan, D. (2017). Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility. NBER Working Paper No. 23618. →
U.S. Department of Education. College Scorecard Data. Federal Student Aid, National Center for Education Statistics. →
National Center for Education Statistics. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). →
David Krug
Co-Founder, CollegeRanker
David Krug is the co-founder of CollegeRanker and a data systems architect focused on making institutional research accessible to families. He builds the data pipelines and ranking algorithms that power CollegeRanker, drawing from federal datasets and Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights research to measure what traditional rankings ignore: whether a college actually changes a family's economic trajectory.
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