Communication & Media Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2027 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.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall communication & media studies education in Iowa.
No school ranked higher than Iowa State University this year for communication & media studies. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 44 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Iowa State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $40,497. Iowa State University graduates carry a median of $19,425 in student loans.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Iowa State University
Drake University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in communication & media studies, ranking #2. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 73% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 34 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Drake University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the communication & media studies program make about $56,361 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,273.
Get the full communication & media studies details for Drake University
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the top schools for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. About 122 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from University Of Iowa earn around $37,647 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,814.
Get the full communication & media studies details for University Of Iowa
University Of Northern Iowa came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best communication & media studies schools. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. About 68% of students finish within six years. About 47 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $40,558 early in their careers. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $19,387 in student loans.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University Of Northern Iowa
Students looking for a strong communication & media studies program will find one at Central College, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Pella, Central College is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 66% of students finish within six years. About 13 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Central College in the most recent year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Central College earn a median of $39,953 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,750.
See the full communication & media studies program report for Central College
Luther College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best communication & media studies schools. Located in the town of Decorah, Luther College is a small private not-for-profit university. Roughly 71% of students complete a degree within six years here. Luther College awarded about 12 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from Luther College earn around $42,012 in the first couple years of their career. Luther College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the communication & media studies program at Luther College
Loras College came in at #7 for communication & media studies this year. Loras College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dubuque. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. Loras College awarded about 15 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Loras College earn a median of $36,821 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,166 to complete this degree.
Get the full communication & media studies details for Loras College
Wartburg College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best communication & media studies schools. Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waverly. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. Wartburg College awarded about 13 communication & media studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the communication & media studies program make about $40,255 in their early career. Wartburg College graduates carry a median of $26,750 in student loans.
See the full communication & media studies program report for Wartburg College
Waldorf College placed #9 among the best communication & media studies schools. Set in the rural area of Forest City, Waldorf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 24% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 19 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at Waldorf College in the most recent year. Graduates of the communication & media studies program make about $63,346 in their early career. Waldorf College graduates carry a median of $24,622 in student loans.
Read more about the communication & media studies program at Waldorf College
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings
View All Communication & Media Studies Rankings >
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 · 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.
