Communication & Media Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for communication & media studies students pursuing a degree.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall communication & media studies education in Virginia.
University Of Virginia Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best communication & media studies schools. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 96% of students finish within six years. University Of Virginia Main Campus awarded about 116 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the communication & media studies program make about $47,368 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,230.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University Of Virginia Main Campus
Virginia Commonwealth University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. Roughly 63% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 202 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Commonwealth University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University generally make around $35,808. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full communication & media studies details for Virginia Commonwealth University
Emory And Henry College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Emory, Emory And Henry College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. Emory And Henry College awarded about 11 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from Emory And Henry College earn around $47,255 in the first couple years of their career. Emory And Henry College graduates carry a median of $26,938 in student loans.
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A rank of #4 makes Bridgewater College one of the top schools for communication & media studies. Bridgewater College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bridgewater. About 53% of students finish within six years. About 15 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Bridgewater College in the most recent year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Bridgewater College earn a median of $29,477 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
See the full communication & media studies program report for Bridgewater College
John Tyler Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #5 spot this year. John Tyler Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Chester. John Tyler Community College awarded about 11 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of John Tyler Community College earn a median of $36,623 early in their careers. John Tyler Community College graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans.
Get the full communication & media studies details for John Tyler Community College
Virginia State University came in at #6 for communication & media studies this year. Set in the suburb of Petersburg, Virginia State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Roughly 39% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 45 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Virginia State University in the most recent year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Virginia State University earn a median of $23,897 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $28,000.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Virginia State University
Virginia Union University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best communication & media studies schools. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Richmond. The six-year graduation rate is 34%. There were roughly 15 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Union University in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Virginia Union University earn a median of $18,076 early in their careers. Virginia Union University graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans.
See the full communication & media studies program report for Virginia Union University
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
