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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Communication & Media Studies

1,382 Ranked Colleges
66,787 Degrees Awarded
$31,000 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Communications Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Communications Major” ranking.

Communication & Media Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 10th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 66,787 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,115 and had an average of $25,414 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Communications Major” ranking, we looked at 1,382 colleges that offer a degree in communication and media studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in communication and media studies.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Communications Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended Communications Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Communications Major”.

1

Out of the 1,382 schools in the Most Well Attended Communications Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 777 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Cal State Fullerton

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arizona State University - Skysong. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Communications Major. Arizona State University - Skysong is a public institution located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 712 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Arizona State University - Skysong Communication & Media Studies Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Communications Major. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 668 degrees to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UNC Chapel Hill

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major list. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 580 ’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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Ohio State University - Main Campus

5

Out of the 1,382 schools in the Most Well Attended Communications Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 573 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 91%.

Full FIU Communication & Media Studies Report

6
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. University of Southern California is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 567 ’s communications 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. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full USC Communication & Media Studies Report

7
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 543 ’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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Michigan State University

8

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking, coming in at #8. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 492 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Sac State

9

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school handed out 483 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 Arizona State University - Tempe Communication & Media Studies Report

10

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. UCSB is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 469 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

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

11

University of Central Florida landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 470 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at UCF

12

With a ranking of #12, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 458 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington

13
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. Boston U is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 456 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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.

Full Boston University Communication & Media Studies Report

14
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking, coming in at #14. JMU is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 446 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Full James Madison University Communication & Media Studies Report

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major list. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 411 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

16

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major list. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 403 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Communication & Media Studies Report

17

With a ranking of #17, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 471 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Texas A&M College Station

18

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking, coming in at #18. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 387 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at CSULB

19

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 367 diplomas to qualified ’s communications 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at California State University - Northridge

20
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. This large school is located in Buffalo, New York, and it awarded 362 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 University at Buffalo

21
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

Grand Canyon University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major list. Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 345 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Full Grand Canyon University Communication & Media Studies Report

22
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. U of U is a large public school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 343 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Utah Communication & Media Studies Report

22
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 343 ’s degrees 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at SFSU

24
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Communications Major ranking, coming in at #24. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communications degrees to 345 students in 2020-2021.

Full East Carolina University Communication & Media Studies Report

25
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Communications Major list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 391 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 93%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Purdue University - Main Campus

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Communications Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California
28
29
30
30
32
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
33
34
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
34
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
36
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
37
38
39
UCONN crest
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
40
41
42
UAlbany crest
University at Albany
Albany, New York
42
44
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
45
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
46
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
46
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Communications Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Phoenix - ArizonaTempe, AZ
52San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
53Brigham Young University - IdahoRexburg, ID
54North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC
55California State University - San MarcosSan Marcos, CA
56Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
57University of KentuckyLexington, KY
58University of Missouri - ColumbiaColumbia, MO
58The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX
60University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
61University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL
62University of IowaIowa City, IA
62The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
64Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
65University of North Carolina at WilmingtonWilmington, NC
RankCollegeLocation
66Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
67California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
68Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
69Marist CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
70Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT
71Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
72Boise State UniversityBoise, ID
73California State Polytechnic University - PomonaPomona, CA
74Baylor UniversityWaco, TX
75University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
76University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY
77University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO
78Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, FL
78SUNY OneontaOneonta, NY
78The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
81University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
81Pace University - New YorkNew York, NY
83University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI
84Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, CA
84University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
86George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
87Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
88Kent State University at KentKent, OH
89Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, CA
89Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TX
RankCollegeLocation
89University of DelawareNewark, DE
89Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
93Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
94DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
94University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
96Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
97North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro, NC
98Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL
98Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
100California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
101University of DaytonDayton, OH
102University of Colorado at Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, CO
102Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
104Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
105University of KansasLawrence, KS
106College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
107University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI
107Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD
109Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL
109Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
111Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, CA
111Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
111Kean UniversityUnion, NJ
114Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA
114University of Washington - Bothell CampusBothell, WA
RankCollegeLocation
114Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC
117California State University - East BayHayward, CA
117Towson UniversityTowson, MD
119Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
119Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
119University of New Hampshire - Main CampusDurham, NH
122William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ
123California State University - Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
124The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX
125Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI
126Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
126Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
128University of FloridaGainesville, FL
128Minnesota State University - MankatoMankato, MN
130University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
130Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, CA
132Weber State UniversityOgden, UT
133Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA
134Fordham UniversityBronx, NY
135Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
136Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI
137Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, CA
137Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
139Pasadena City CollegePasadena, CA
139Queens CollegeQueens, NY
RankCollegeLocation
141University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
142Mt. San Antonio CollegeWalnut, CA
143Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, CA
144Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, CA
145University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
145East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
147University of Wisconsin - WhitewaterWhitewater, WI
148Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL
149University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
150Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, CT
151Portland State UniversityPortland, OR
152California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
153Monmouth UniversityWest Long Branch, NJ
153California State University - BakersfieldBakersfield, CA
155University of Massachusetts - BostonBoston, MA
155University of North TexasDenton, TX
157Valdosta State UniversityValdosta, GA
157Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, VA
159Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, UT
159University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
161Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
161University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
163St John’s University - New YorkQueens, NY
163Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
165The University of Tennessee - ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN
RankCollegeLocation
165California State University - FresnoFresno, CA
165Fullerton CollegeFullerton, CA
165Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN
169Chapman UniversityOrange, CA
169Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew York, NY
169University of Oklahoma Norman CampusNorman, OK
169Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, CA
169El Camino CollegeTorrance, CA
169West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
169Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ
169High Point UniversityHigh Point, NC
177University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
177Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
177American UniversityWashington, DC
180Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY
181The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
181SUNY GeneseoGeneseo, NY
181Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, MN
181California State University - ChicoChico, CA
185University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
185Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
187Brigham Young University - ProvoProvo, UT
187Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
189University of Houston - DowntownHouston, TX
190De Anza CollegeCupertino, CA
RankCollegeLocation
190Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ
192Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
192University of Washington - Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA
192Lasell UniversityNewton, MA
192Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX
196The University of TampaTampa, FL
196Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main CampusIndiana, PA
196College of Staten Island CUNYStaten Island, NY
199Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
199Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX
199University of Minnesota - DuluthDuluth, MN
199Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
203Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA
203Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
203Eastern Washington UniversityCheney, WA
206Dixie State UniversitySaint George, UT
206Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, MD
208Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, CA
208University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
208Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA
208Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ
208Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN

Notes and References

References

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