Communication & Media Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their communication & media studies programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 7 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.
Our analysis ranked University Of Virginia Main Campus the best school in the country for a degree in communication & media studies. 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. There were roughly 106 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Virginia Main Campus in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $47,368. Typical student debt for the program is $21,230.
See the full communication & media studies program report for University Of Virginia Main Campus
Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best communication & media studies schools. Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public school located in the city of Richmond. About 63% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 222 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Commonwealth University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the communication & media studies program make about $35,808 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from 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. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the rural area of Emory. The six-year graduation rate is 56%. About 12 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Emory And Henry College in the most recent year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Emory And Henry College earn a median of $47,255 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,938.
See the full communication & media studies program report for Emory And Henry College
Students looking for a strong communication & media studies program will find one at Bridgewater College, which ranked #4. Bridgewater College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bridgewater. Roughly 53% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 20 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Bridgewater College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from Bridgewater College earn around $29,477 in the first couple years of their career. Bridgewater College graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans.
Read more about the communication & media studies program at Bridgewater College
Students looking for a strong communication & media studies program will find one at John Tyler Community College, which ranked #5. This large public university is located in the suburb of Chester. About 15 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at John Tyler Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from John Tyler Community College earn around $36,623 in the first couple years of their career. John Tyler Community College graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from John Tyler Community College
Virginia State University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best communication & media studies schools. Located in the suburb of Petersburg, Virginia State University is a moderately-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 39%. There were roughly 53 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Virginia State University in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Virginia State University earn a median of $23,897 early in their careers. Virginia State University graduates carry a median of $28,000 in student loans.
Get the full communication & media studies details for Virginia State University
Virginia Union University came in at #7 for communication & media studies this year. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Union University is a small private not-for-profit university. Roughly 34% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 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. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full communication & media studies details for Virginia Union University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 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.
