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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies

1,105 Ranked Colleges
53,798 Degrees Awarded
$32,706 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Communication & Media Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 10th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 66,787 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,115 and had an average of $25,414 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 53,798 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 1,105 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and media studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in communication and media studies.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 754 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Cal State Fullerton

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 637 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

3

Out of the 1,105 schools in the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 565 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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 & Media Studies Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this large public school awarded 549 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at ASU - Skysong

5
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 506 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Michigan State

6

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 488 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at California State University - Sacramento

7

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 462 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

7

Florida International University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 462 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at FIU

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Central Florida is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 442 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UCF

10

With a ranking of #10, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 440 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington

11

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 439 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Arizona State University - Tempe

12
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. James Madison University is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 433 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at JMU

13

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 404 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at UW Seattle

14
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #14, Boston University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. Boston University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 397 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full Boston U Communication & Media Studies Report

15

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. Texas A&M College Station is a public institution located in College Station, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 387 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Texas A&M University - College Station

16

California State University - Long Beach came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 377 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at CSULB

17

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 376 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Communication & Media Studies Report

18
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. University at Buffalo is a large school located in Buffalo, New York that handed out 346 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University at Buffalo

19
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 337 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at San Francisco State University

20
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large public school awarded 336 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Utah

20
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #20, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 336 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full USC Communication & Media Studies Report

20

California State University - Northridge landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 336 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at California State University - Northridge

23
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. ECU is located in Greenville, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 317 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Full ECU Communication & Media Studies Report

23

University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 317 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UMass Amherst

25

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 316 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at UW - Madison

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
27
27
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California
29
30
30
32
33
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
34
UCONN crest
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
35
36
37
38
39
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
40
40
42
43
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
44
UAlbany crest
University at Albany
Albany, New York
45
46
47
48
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
49
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
49

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Communications Major for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, AZ
52University of Missouri - ColumbiaColumbia, MO
52University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL
54The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX
55University of KentuckyLexington, KY
56University of North Carolina at WilmingtonWilmington, NC
56University of IowaIowa City, IA
58San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
59University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
60Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA
61Marist CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
61Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT
61Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
64California State Polytechnic University - PomonaPomona, CA
65Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
RankCollegeLocation
66Boise State UniversityBoise, ID
67University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY
68California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
68University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
68Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, FL
68SUNY OneontaOneonta, NY
68Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
73University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
74Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
75Baylor UniversityWaco, TX
76University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI
77University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO
78Kent State University at KentKent, OH
79University of DelawareNewark, DE
80North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro, NC
80Pace University - New YorkNew York, NY
80Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TX
83Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
84Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
85University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
85The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
87Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
88Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL
89George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
89College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
RankCollegeLocation
89Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
92Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD
93University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
93Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
95University of Colorado at Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, CO
96California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
96Kean UniversityUnion, NJ
96The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
96DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
100University of Washington - Bothell CampusBothell, WA
100Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC
100Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA
100University of DaytonDayton, OH
104Towson UniversityTowson, MD
105Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
105Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
105University of KansasLawrence, KS
108University of New Hampshire - Main CampusDurham, NH
108Purdue University - Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN
108Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
108Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
112William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ
113California State University - East BayHayward, CA
113Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
115California State University - Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
RankCollegeLocation
116University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI
117Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
117Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
119University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
120Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA
121Fordham UniversityBronx, NY
122The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX
123Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI
124Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
125Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI
126University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
127Minnesota State University - MankatoMankato, MN
128Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL
129Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
129Queens CollegeQueens, NY
131University of Wisconsin - WhitewaterWhitewater, WI
132California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
132Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
134California State University - BakersfieldBakersfield, CA
135University of Massachusetts - BostonBoston, MA
136Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, VA
137Portland State UniversityPortland, OR
138University of DenverDenver, CO
138Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
140St John’s University - New YorkQueens, NY
RankCollegeLocation
140University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
142The University of Tennessee - ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN
143University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
143Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ
143Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL
143Chapman UniversityOrange, CA
147Valdosta State UniversityValdosta, GA
147University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
149Monmouth UniversityWest Long Branch, NJ
149University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
151SUNY GeneseoGeneseo, NY
151The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
151University of North TexasDenton, TX
154California State University - ChicoChico, CA
154East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
156Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
156University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
156Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, MN
156Weber State UniversityOgden, UT
160University of Houston - DowntownHouston, TX
161University of Washington - Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA
161Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
161California State University - FresnoFresno, CA
164College of Staten Island CUNYStaten Island, NY
164Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, CT
RankCollegeLocation
164The University of TampaTampa, FL

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