by our College Data Analytics TeamCommunication & Media Studies was the 82nd most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 10,266 degrees in this year alone. This 685 less than the prior year, a decrease of 6.7%.
This year's Best Communication & Media Studies Schools ranking compares 168 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom media studies rankings further below.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in communication and media studies is understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times are all required skills for careers related to this major.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most media studies degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic communication and media studies program qualifications, to serve in some media studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different media studies degree levels. Communication & Media Studies programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest media studies degree you can get. Depending on the communication and media studies degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to media studies, with approximately 55.9% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for media studies workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 56.7% |
| Master’s Degree | 17.9% |
| Some College Courses | 6.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 4.3% |
| Doctoral Degree | 4.0% |
Most workers in media studies have at least a bachelor's degree. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in communication and media studies careers have.
This of course varies depending on which media studies career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your media studies degree? Communication & Media Studies careers are expected to grow 2.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to communication and media studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Writers and Authors | 141,200 | 7.6% |
| Editors | 125,600 | -1.4% |
| Reporters and Correspondents | 40,200 | -10.1% |
| Communications Professors | 37,500 | 10.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for media studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for communication and media studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers media studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Communications Professors | $78,090 |
| Writers and Authors | $73,090 |
| Editors | $69,480 |
| Reporters and Correspondents | $55,530 |
With over 579 different media studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased media studies school rankings to help you with this.
Communication & Media Studies is one of 3 different types of Communication & Media Studies programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication | 41,146 |
| Communications | 12,001 |
| Other Communication & Media Studies | 3,374 |
Image Credit: By UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
