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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in California

75 Ranked Colleges
10,800 Degrees Awarded
$34,538 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Communication & Journalism is the 11th most popular major in the country with 120,571 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,266 and had an average of $24,758 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 18,342 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,856 and $20,624 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 10,800 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California” ranking analyzed 75 colleges that offered a degree in communication and journalism. That schools that top this list have a program in communication and journalism in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California” list to help you make the college 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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in California

1

Out of the 75 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, John Paul the Great Catholic University landed the #1 spot on the list. Escondido, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 & Journalism at JPCatholic

2
Westmont crest
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

Out of the 75 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Westmont College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 & Journalism at Westmont

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 924 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUN Communication & Journalism Report

4

Out of the 75 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 939 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism 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 full report on Communication & Journalism at Cal State Fullerton

5
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Lutheran University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. California Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Thousand Oaks, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CLU Communication & Journalism Report

6
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 582 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 SFSU Communication & Journalism Report

7
San Diego Christian crest
San Diego Christian College
Santee, California

San Diego Christian College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. San Diego Christian is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santee, California. It awarded 11 bachelors’s communication and journalism 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.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at San Diego Christian

8

California State University - Channel Islands landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Located in Camarillo, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 146 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Channel Islands Communication & Journalism Report

9
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Orange, California, and it awarded 186 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Chapman

10

With a ranking of #10, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 529 students 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%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Communication & Journalism Report

11

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 462 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of California - Santa Barbara

12
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking, coming in at #12. Malibu, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 187 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pepperdine University Communication & Journalism Report

13
LIFE Bible College crest
Life Pacific College
San Dimas, California

Life Pacific College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. This small school is located in San Dimas, California, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at LIFE Bible College

13
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

With a ranking of #13, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. Holy Names University is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at HNU

15
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Loyola Marymount is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 168 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Marymount University Communication & Journalism Report

16
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Pitzer is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s communication and journalism 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Full Pitzer Communication & Journalism Report

17

California State University - San Marcos ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. CSUSM is located in San Marcos, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 231 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at California State University - San Marcos

18
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Biola University is located in La Mirada, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 75 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Biola University

19

Vanguard University of Southern California landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Located in Costa Mesa, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Vanguard

20
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 520 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Jose State University Communication & Journalism Report

21
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

With a ranking of #21, Santa Clara University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. SCU is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 142 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at SCU

22
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Scripps College

23

With a ranking of #23, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California list. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 540 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at California State University - Long Beach

24

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. Cal State LA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 343 bachelors’s degrees 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Cal State LA

25
The Master's University crest
The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita, California

The Master’s University and Seminary landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in California ranking. The Master’s University is located in Santa Clarita, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full The Master’s University and Seminary Communication & Journalism Report

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