2026 Best Communication & Journalism Schools in District of Columbia
Communication & Journalism 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.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best communication & journalism schools.
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Best Schools for Communication & Journalism in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall communication & journalism education in District of Columbia.
Top Schools in Communication & Journalism
No school ranked higher than Georgetown University this year for communication & journalism. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 279 communication & journalism students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $89,444. Georgetown University graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans.
Read more about the communication & journalism program at Georgetown University
George Washington University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in communication & journalism, ranking #2. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 84%. About 232 communication & journalism degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Graduates of the communication & journalism program make about $70,104 in their early career. George Washington University graduates carry a median of $23,862 in student loans.
More information about a degree in communication & journalism from George Washington University
American University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in communication & journalism, ranking #3. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. American University graduates 76% of students within six years. About 247 communication & journalism degrees were awarded at American University in the most recent year. Communication & Journalism graduates of American University earn a median of $54,201 early in their careers. American University graduates carry a median of $25,733 in student loans.
Read more about the communication & journalism program at American University
Catholic University Of America is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in communication & journalism, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Catholic University Of America graduates 80% of students within six years. Catholic University Of America awarded about 13 communication & journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communication & journalism degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $43,259. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
See the full communication & journalism program report for Catholic University Of America
A rank of #5 makes Howard University one of the top schools for communication & journalism. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. Howard University awarded about 230 communication & journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their communication & journalism degree from Howard University earn around $38,950 in the first couple years of their career. Howard University graduates carry a median of $26,008 in student loans.
See the full communication & journalism program report for Howard University
Gallaudet University landed the #6 spot for communication & journalism this year. Gallaudet University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Roughly 47% of students complete a degree within six years here. Gallaudet University awarded about 11 communication & journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Communication & Journalism graduates of Gallaudet University earn a median of $25,747 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $25,000.
Read more about the communication & journalism program at Gallaudet University
More Communication & Journalism Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 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.
