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

67 Ranked Colleges
7,332 Degrees Awarded
$36,243 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Communications Major in California

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2021-2022, 62,855 communication & media studies students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In , communication & media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $34,194 and had an average of $23,803 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 12,384 communication & media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,861 and $21,248 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 7,332 communication & media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,904 and $19,503 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California” ranking analyzed 67 colleges that offered a degree in communication & media studies. That schools that top this list have a program in communication & media studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree communications students.

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

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend John Paul the Great Catholic University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. Located in Escondido, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 & Media Studies at John Paul the Great Catholic University

2
Westmont crest
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

Out of the 67 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Westmont College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Westmont College Communication & Media Studies Report

3
San Diego Christian crest
San Diego Christian College
Spring Valley, California

Out of the 67 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego Christian College landed the #3 spot on the list. San Diego Christian is a small school located in Spring Valley, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 San Diego Christian College Communication & Media Studies Report

4

Out of the 67 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Channel Islands landed the #4 spot on the list. California State University - Channel Islands is a medium-sized school located in Camarillo, California that handed out 103 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Full California State University - Channel Islands Communication & Media Studies Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 645 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Communication & Media Studies Report

6

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking, coming in at #6. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 582 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Communication & Media Studies Report

7
LIFE Bible College crest
Life Pacific College
San Dimas, California

Life Pacific College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. This small school is located in San Dimas, California, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Life Pacific College

8
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Pitzer College

9

California State University - Sacramento came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 448 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full Sac State Communication & Media Studies Report

10

California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - San Marcos is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 204 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at California State University - San Marcos

11
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

With a ranking of #11, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. This small school is located in Oakland, California, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at Holy Names University

12
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clara, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 137 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at SCU

13
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. Scripps is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Scripps

14

Vanguard University of Southern California came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. Vanguard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 39 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 & Media Studies at Vanguard University of Southern California

15
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #15, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. Loyola Marymount University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 125 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Full Loyola Marymount University Communication & Media Studies Report

16
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

California Lutheran University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. Thousand Oaks, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 52 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at CLU

17
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Pomona

18
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 264 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Francisco State University Communication & Media Studies Report

19
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

With a ranking of #19, Sonoma State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. SSU is located in Rohnert Park, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 103 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SSU Communication & Media Studies Report

20
Simpson U crest
Simpson University
Redding, California

Simpson University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Redding, California, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Simpson U

21

California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full CSUB Communication & Media Studies Report

22

Notre Dame de Namur University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. Located in Belmont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Notre Dame de Namur University

23
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. Chapman University is a fairly large school located in Orange, California that handed out 104 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Chapman

24

California State University - Long Beach came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 339 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

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

25

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in California list. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 150 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 & Media Studies at California State University - San Bernardino

Notes and References

References

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