Communication & Media Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best communication & media studies schools.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall communication & media studies education in South Dakota.
Leading the list is University Of Sioux Falls, our #1 school for communication & media studies. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 62% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 17 communication & media studies degrees were awarded at University Of Sioux Falls in the most recent year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from University Of Sioux Falls earn around $46,956 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,103 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University Of Sioux Falls
Students looking for a strong communication & media studies program will find one at University Of South Dakota, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. About 60% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 58 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of South Dakota in the most recent data year. Students who receive their communication & media studies degree from University Of South Dakota earn around $35,792 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University Of South Dakota
South Dakota State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best communication & media studies schools. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. There were roughly 25 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at South Dakota State University in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $39,173 early in their careers. South Dakota State University graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans.
See the full communication & media studies program report for South Dakota State University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 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.
