615
Colleges in the United States
66,787
Communications Degrees Awarded
$34,115
Avg Early-Career Salary
Communication & Media Studies is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #10 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.
In 2024, College Factual analyzed 615 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Communication & Media Studies Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 66,787 degrees in communication & media studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
The communications program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Communication & Media Studies rankings. For our Best Overall Communication & Media Studies School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Communication & Media Studies Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you.
When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
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Featured Communication & Media Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Communication
With an online bachelor's degree in communication you'll have the opportunity to pursue a multitude of career options. From journalism and social media, to public relations, advertising and mass media, earning your BA in communication will allow you to strategize and communicate your ideas.
Learn More
MA in Communication
Effective communicators are always in demand, no matter the industry. The Master's in Communication degree from Southern New Hampshire University is a cutting-edge program designed for forward-thinking professionals.
Learn More
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the communications degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
25 Top Schools in Communications
Northwestern University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were roughly 207 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Northwestern University earn $24,240 more than the typical communications graduate.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Northwestern University
It's difficult to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in communication & media studies. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 567 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Southern California get an earnings boost of approximately $20,824 over the average earnings of communication & media studies graduates.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Southern California
Columbia University in the City of New York is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.
There were roughly 92 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Columbia University in the City of New York make $61,368 more than the typical communications student.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Columbia University in the City of New York
University of Pennsylvania is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.
There were approximately 96 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of Pennsylvania receive $16,005 more than the average communications grad.
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U-M is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.
There were about 277 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor get $11,646 above the typical college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. This university ranks 2nd out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.
There were about 668 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn $14,385 above the typical college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
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Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great university overall.
There were about 151 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at Johns Hopkins University earn $40,115 more than the standard college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
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Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.
There were about 262 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from The University of Texas at Austin receive an earnings boost of about $11,899 above the average earnings of communication & media studies majors.
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UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were roughly 268 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of California - Berkeley earn a boost of approximately $14,172 above the average income of communication & media studies graduates.
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Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 87 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were roughly 327 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive $4,546 more than the typical communications grad.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.
There were approximately 334 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Wisconsin - Madison get an earnings boost of around $16,099 above the typical earnings of communication & media studies graduates.
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Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.
There were about 99 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Cornell University make $9,956 more than the standard communications student.
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Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 170 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 469 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of California - Santa Barbara receive $6,939 more than the standard communications grad.
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Purdue is a very large public university located in the small city of West Lafayette. This university ranks 2nd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
There were approximately 391 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Purdue University - Main Campus earn $18,984 more than the average communications student.
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Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 116 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were about 471 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies program at Texas A&M University - College Station get $4,817 above the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
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Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.
There were approximately 55 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Stanford University make $18,733 more than the typical communications student.
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Located in the large city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 116 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 175 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at TCU in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Texas Christian University receive $8,367 more than the average communications grad.
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Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #31 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.
There were roughly 411 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Washington - Seattle Campus receive an earnings boost of about $3,708 over the typical earnings of communication & media studies majors.
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Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.
There were about 543 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at Michigan State University get $2,992 more than the typical college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
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Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 11th out of 170 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 300 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of California - Davis receive $4,780 more than the typical communications graduate.
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IU Bloomington is a fairly large public university located in the city of Bloomington. This university ranks 3rd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
There were about 458 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at IU Bloomington in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from Indiana University - Bloomington earn a boost of approximately $7,712 over the average earnings of communication & media studies majors.
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UMCP is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of College Park. This university ranks 2nd out of 35 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.
There were roughly 289 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UMCP in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Maryland - College Park get an earnings boost of around $7,609 above the typical earnings of communication & media studies graduates.
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Located in the medium-sized city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 12th out of 170 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 142 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at SCU in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from Santa Clara University earn a boost of about $18,925 over the typical earnings of communication & media studies majors.
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Located in the large city of Denver, DU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 34 schools for overall quality in the state of Colorado.
There were roughly 294 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at DU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies program at University of Denver make $13,304 above the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
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Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.
There were roughly 308 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Arizona earn a boost of about $7,174 over the average income of communication & media studies majors.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Arizona