If you plan on getting your master's degree in
communication & media studies, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #44 in the country in terms of popularity. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 31 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Communication & Media Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,328 master's degrees in communication & media studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The communications master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality communications program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Early-Career Salaries
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to communication & media studies students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other communication & media studies students want to attend this school to pursue a master's degree.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for communication & media studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their master's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized communication & media studies related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for communication & media studies students working on their master's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Communication & Media Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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