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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools to find the best for communication & media studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall communication & media studies education in West Virginia.
No school ranked higher than West Virginia University this year for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a very large public institution. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 82 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at West Virginia University in the most recent year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from West Virginia University earn around $51,750 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,772.
Get the full communication & media studies details for West Virginia University
A rank of #2 makes Shepherd University one of the top schools for communication & media studies. Set in the rural area of Shepherdstown, Shepherd University is a mid-sized public institution. Shepherd University graduates 51% of students within six years. There were roughly 13 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Shepherd University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Shepherd University generally make around $23,653. Students borrow a median of $19,558 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Shepherd University
Students looking for a strong communication & media studies program will find one at American Public University System, which ranked #3. American Public University System is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Charles Town. American Public University System graduates 47% of students within six years. About 72 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at American Public University System in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from American Public University System generally make around $57,404. American Public University System graduates carry a median of $24,555 in student loans.
See the full communication & media studies program report for American Public University System
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
View All Communication & Media Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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.