2020 Most Affordable Online Master's in Journalism Programs
These 17 schools make up the most affordable options for obtaining an online master's degree in journalism, with all of their annual tuition rates priced at less than $28,000. In first place, Marshall University is the most affordable school, with a tuition rate of $3,948. Classes for Marshall University's Master of Arts in Journalism - New Media Studies include History of Mass Communication, JMC Law and Ethics, New Media Cultures, Organizational Storytelling, and Photojournalism. Stephen F. Austin State University comes in second place, with an affordable tuition rate of $6,060 per year.
You can read more about our ranked schools below or browse our rankings of the most affordable online bachelor's in journalism degrees. View our methodology or learn more about OnlineU.
All tuition numbers were manually collected and verified
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall University | $3,948 | |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | $6,060 | |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $6,511 | |
| University of Alabama | $6,720 | |
| South Dakota State University | $7,452 | |
| Arizona State University | $8,512 | |
| Kansas State University | $8,613 | |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $9,780 | |
| Clarion University | $10,026 | |
| Regent University Online | $11,700 | |
| Ball State University | $11,718 | |
| University of Memphis | $11,849 | |
| University of Missouri | $13,769 | |
| Webster University | $14,040 | |
| Kent State University at Kent | $21,952 | |
| Academy of Art University | $22,743 | |
| University of Colorado Boulder | $27,480 |
- Annual Tuition: $3,948
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 3,611
- Example Classes: History of Mass Communication; JMC Law and Ethics; New Media Cultures; Organizational Storytelling; Photojournalism; Web/Online Strategies for JMC
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism
- Master of Arts in Journalism - New Media Studies
- Annual Tuition: $6,060
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,746
- Example Classes: International Media; Management Problems in Media; Media and Politics; Media History; Seminar in Broadcasting
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Advertising and Public Relations (Media Project Option)
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Advertising and Public Relations (Non-Thesis Option)
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Advertising and Public Relations (Thesis Option)
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Broadcasting (Media Project Option)
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Broadcasting (Non-Thesis)
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Broadcasting (Thesis Option)
- Annual Tuition: $6,511
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 2,800
- Example Classes: Ethnic and Alternative Media in America; Internet Policy and Regulation; Mass Communication Processes and Effects; Media Criticism; News Media and the First Amendment; PR for 21st Century Non-Profits
Online Master's Degrees
- MA in Mass Communication
- MA in Mass Communication - Mass Media Research
- MA in Mass Communication - Professional Mass Media - Multi-Platform Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $6,720
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 5,362
- Example Classes: Advanced Sports Writing; Communication and Diversity; Contemporary Issues in Journalism; Digital Media Production Tools; Entrepreneurial Journalism
Online Master's Degrees
- MA in Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $7,452
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,560
- Example Classes: Cross-Platform Campaigns; Health Journalism; Mass Communications Teaching Methods; Media Law Case Studies; Social Marketing for Health and Behavioral Change; Women in Media
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Mass Communication
- Master of Mass Communication - Coursework Only
- Master of Mass Communication - Research
- Annual Tuition: $8,512
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 21,361
- Example Classes: Better Business Reporting; Data in Business Journalism; Issues in Coverage of Business and the Economy; Media Law
Online Master's Degrees
- MS in Business Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $8,613
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 4,352
- Example Classes: Digital Media Audiences and Analytics; Environmental Communications; Issues, Risk and Reputation; Mass Communication Law; Strategic Health Communication
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Science in Mass Communications
- Annual Tuition: $9,780
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 4,990
- Example Classes: Government Controls of Information; Literature of Journalism; Mass Media Research; Multi-platform Journalism; Race, Gender and Media
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication - Integrated Media Communications
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication - Professional Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $10,026
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: MSCHE
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 927
- Example Classes: Management of the Communication Process; Mass Communication Research; Mass Communication Theory; Public Relations Foundations; Society, Law and Media Technology
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Science in Mass Media Arts and Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $11,700
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 5,536
- Example Classes: Community, Citizen & Civic Journalism; Feature Writing & Specialty Reporting; Journalism Technology Tools; Multimedia Reporting & Mobile Field Production; Story, Popular Culture & Worldview
Online Master's Degrees
- M.A. in Journalism
- M.A. in Communication
- Master of Divinity - Worship and Media
- Annual Tuition: $11,718
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 5,724
- Example Classes: Emerging Technologies; Journalistic Judgments and Sociology of News; Media Audiences and Content Strategy; Social + Cross-Media Storytelling; Visual Storytelling
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Media Analytics and Management
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Reporting and Storytelling
- Annual Tuition: $11,849
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 4,225
- Example Classes: Food Writing/Reporting; Mass Media & Cultures; Multimedia Sports Reporting; Presidents and the Press; Public Rel Campaigns; TV News Producing
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media - Integrated Strategic Media
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media - News and Storytelling
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media - Research
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media - Visual Media
- Annual Tuition: $13,769
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 7,359
- Example Classes: Changing Media Business Models; Emerging Technologies in Journalism; Health News and Promotion; Investigative Reporting; Online Audience Development; Strategic Conflict Management
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Health Communication
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Interactive Media
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Media Management
- Master of Arts in Journalism - Strategic Communication
- Annual Tuition: $14,040
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 8,348
- Example Classes: Analyzing the Latino Media Market; Interactive Media Applied to the Internet; Media and Communications in Latin America; Media and Culture; Media Organization and Regulations; Writing for Media Communications: Interactive Scriptwriting
Online Master's Degrees
- MA in Media Communications
- Annual Tuition: $21,952
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 5,565
- Example Classes: Ethics of Mass Communication; Legal Problems in Mass Communication; Media Relations and Publicity; Social Media and Public Relations; Theory of Mass Communication
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication
- Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication - Journalism Education
- Annual Tuition: $22,743
- School Type: For-Profit
- School Accreditation: WSCUC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 3,565
- Example Classes: Blogging: Content Creation & Promotion; Fashion Research & Reporting; Interactive Infographics
Online Master's Degrees
- MA in Communications & Media Technologies
- MA in Fashion Journalism
- Annual Tuition: $27,480
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 6,522
- Example Classes: Coding for Journalism; Funding Journalism in the 21st Century; Newsgathering and Multimedia Storytelling; Principles of American Journalism; The Practice of Entrepreneurial Journalism
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Journalism Entrepreneurship