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2025 Best Communication & Media Studies Schools

575 Colleges in the United States
62,855 Communications Degrees Awarded
$36,850 Avg Early-Career Salary
Communication & Media Studies is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #10 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 575 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Communication & Media Studies Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 62,855 degrees in communication & media studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Communication & Media Studies School

Best Communication & Media Studies Schools The communications program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Communication & Media Studies rankings. For our Best Overall Communication & Media Studies School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Communication & Media Studies Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Communications
Bachelor's Degrees in Communications
Master's Degrees in Communications
Doctor's Degrees in Communications

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Communication & Media Studies Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Communication & Media Studies in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the communications degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Communications

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
585 Communications Degrees Awarded
3.1% Growth in Graduates

It's difficult to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in communication & media studies. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 585 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Southern California receive an earnings boost of approximately $21,592 over the typical earnings of communication & media studies majors.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Southern California

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
97 Communications Degrees Awarded
$62,182 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat Cornell University if you want to pursue a degree in communication & media studies. Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Ithaca. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.

There were roughly 97 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Cornell University receive $25,332 more than the average communications student.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Cornell University

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
93 Communications Degrees Awarded
$67,279 Median Starting Salary

Northwestern University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were roughly 93 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from Northwestern University earn a boost of approximately $30,429 above the typical income of communication & media studies graduates.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Northwestern University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
588 Communications Degrees Awarded
$43,738 Median Starting Salary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in communication & media studies. UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were about 588 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill receive $6,888 more than the typical communications student.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
260 Communications Degrees Awarded
$50,556 Median Starting Salary

U-M is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were roughly 260 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies degree program at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor get $13,706 above the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

6
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
470 Communications Degrees Awarded
$36,390 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 56 schools for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were approximately 470 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the communications program make about $36,390 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Michigan State University

7
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
170 Communications Degrees Awarded
7.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Villanova is a great university overall.

There were about 170 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Villanova University earn $15,444 more than the average communications student.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Villanova University

8
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Communications Degrees Awarded
$53,022 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were approximately 84 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of Pennsylvania receive $16,172 more than the average communications grad.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Pennsylvania

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
327 Communications Degrees Awarded
$37,808 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were approximately 327 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the communications program make about $37,808 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
368 Communications Degrees Awarded
21.5% Growth in Graduates

UMCP is a very large public university located in the suburb of College Park. A Best Colleges rank of #37 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UMCP is a great university overall.

There were approximately 368 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UMCP in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies degree program at University of Maryland - College Park get $6,846 more than the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Maryland - College Park

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
268 Communications Degrees Awarded
$42,993 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were roughly 268 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of Arizona earn $6,143 more than the average communications grad.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Arizona

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
592 Communications Degrees Awarded
20.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 592 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of California - Santa Barbara earn $9,748 more than the average communications graduate.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of California - Santa Barbara

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
517 Communications Degrees Awarded
8.9% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 517 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Texas A&M University - College Station receive $6,445 more than the standard communications grad.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Texas A&M University - College Station

14
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
293 Communications Degrees Awarded
$42,569 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 293 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of California - Davis receive an earnings boost of about $5,719 above the average income of communication & media studies graduates.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of California - Davis

15
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
135 Communications Degrees Awarded
$50,448 Median Starting Salary

Northeastern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Boston. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northeastern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 135 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at Northeastern University earn $13,597 more than the standard college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Northeastern University

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
270 Communications Degrees Awarded
$37,286 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 46 schools for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were about 270 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year. After graduating, communications degree recipients typically earn about $37,286 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Wisconsin - Madison

17
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
188 Communications Degrees Awarded
10.6% Growth in Graduates

Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the small city of Chestnut Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Boston College is a great college overall.

There were approximately 188 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Boston College in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at Boston College earn $18,312 above the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Boston College

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
216 Communications Degrees Awarded
10.6% Growth in Graduates

CU - Boulder is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Boulder. This university ranks 2nd out of 31 colleges for overall quality in the state of Colorado.

There were about 216 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at CU - Boulder in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of Colorado Boulder receive $2,888 more than the average communications grad.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Colorado Boulder

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
245 Communications Degrees Awarded
$40,473 Median Starting Salary

Located in the fringe town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 18 colleges for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were approximately 245 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at University of Connecticut earn $3,623 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Connecticut

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
318 Communications Degrees Awarded
$44,638 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were approximately 318 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at University of Washington - Seattle Campus get $7,788 more than the typical college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

21
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
258 Communications Degrees Awarded
$43,696 Median Starting Salary

UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were roughly 258 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley earn $6,846 more than the average communications grad.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of California - Berkeley

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
407 Communications Degrees Awarded
$44,966 Median Starting Salary

ASU - Tempe is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Tempe. This university ranks 2nd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were approximately 407 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent year we have data available. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from Arizona State University - Tempe get an earnings boost of about $8,115 over the average earnings of communication & media studies graduates.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Arizona State University - Tempe

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
458 Communications Degrees Awarded
$36,700 Median Starting Salary

IU Bloomington is a very large public university located in the small city of Bloomington. A Best Colleges rank of #30 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means IU Bloomington is a great university overall.

There were roughly 458 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at IU Bloomington in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, communications degree recipients usually earn around $36,700 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Indiana University - Bloomington

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
262 Communications Degrees Awarded
$43,848 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 262 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at The University of Texas at Austin make $6,998 above the standard graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from The University of Texas at Austin

25
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
498 Communications Degrees Awarded
$41,232 Median Starting Salary

Ohio State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Columbus. This university ranks 1st out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were roughly 498 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent year we have data available. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Ohio State University - Main Campus make $4,382 more than the standard communications student.

More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Ohio State University - Main Campus

Rest of the Top 50 Best Communication & Media Studies Schools

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27
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30
The American University crest
American University
Washington, DC
31
Marist crest
Marist College
Poughkeepsie, NY
32

33

34
35
36
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
37
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
38
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
39
40
41
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY

42
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC

43
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
44
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
45
46
47
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
48
49
50
Fairfield U crest
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT

Remaining Award Winners

This section shows the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Communication & Media Studies Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 20% of the 575 different United States communication & media studies schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Baylor University Waco, TX
52 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
53 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
54 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
55 Ohio University - Athens Campus Athens, OH
56 DePaul University Chicago, IL
57 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
58 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
59 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
60 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
61 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
62 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
63 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH
64 Chapman University Orange, CA
65 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
66 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
67 Auburn University Auburn, AL
68 Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD
69 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
70 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
71 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
72 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA
73 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
74 Illinois State University Normal, IL
75 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
76 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
77 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
78 Florida International University Miami, FL
79 Boise State University Boise, ID
80 Pace University - New York New York, NY
81 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
82 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
83 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
84 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
85 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
86 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
87 Arizona State University - Skysong Scottsdale, AZ
88 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
89 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
90 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
91 George Washington University Washington, DC
92 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
93 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
94 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
95 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
96 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
97 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
98 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
99 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
100 University at Albany Albany, NY
101 Emerson College Boston, MA
102 Towson University Towson, MD
103 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
104 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
105 DePauw University Greencastle, IN
106 Washington State University Pullman, WA
107 Iowa State University Ames, IA
108 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
109 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
110 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
111 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
112 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL
113 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT
114 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
115 Saint Mary’s College of California Moraga, CA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Communication & Media Studies Schools award.

Rank College Location
116 Brown University Providence, RI
117 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
118 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
119 College of Charleston Charleston, SC
120 Catholic University of America Washington, DC
121 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
122 University of San Diego San Diego, CA
123 Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
124 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
125 Denison University Granville, OH
126 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
127 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
128 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
129 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
130 William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ
131 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
132 Bryant University Smithfield, RI
133 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
134 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
135 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
135 Creighton University Omaha, NE
137 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
138 Ball State University Muncie, IN
139 The University of Tampa Tampa, FL
140 Iona College New Rochelle, NY
141 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY
142 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
143 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
144 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse La Crosse, WI
145 Rollins College Winter Park, FL
146 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
147 Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI
148 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
149 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
150 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
151 Xavier University Cincinnati, OH
152 The College of Wooster Wooster, OH
152 SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY
154 University of North Texas Denton, TX
155 University of Houston Houston, TX
156 Western Oregon University Monmouth, OR
157 Drake University Des Moines, IA
158 Winona State University Winona, MN
159 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
160 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA
161 Manhattan College Riverdale, NY
162 Augustana College Rock Island, IL
163 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
164 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
165 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
166 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
167 St John’s University - New York Queens, NY
168 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
169 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
170 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
171 Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ
172 College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN
173 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
174 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
175 Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ
176 University of St Thomas Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
177 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
178 University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD
179 Furman University Greenville, SC
180 Hope College Holland, MI
181 Hunter College New York, NY
182 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
183 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
184 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
185 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
186 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
187 University of Louisville Louisville, KY
188 Saint Joseph’s University Philadelphia, PA
189 University of New Hampshire at Manchester Manchester, NH
190 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
191 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL

Communication & Media Studies by Region

View the Best Communication & Media Studies Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Communication & Media Studies is one of 5 different types of Communication & Journalism programs to choose from.

Communications Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Speech Communication 37,397
Communications 12,166
Communication & Media Studies 10,005
Other Communication & Media Studies 3,287

View All Communications Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Relations & Advertising 21,275
Radio, Television & Digital Communication 18,286
Journalism 12,911
Communication & Journalism (Other) 1,349
Publishing 318

View All Communications Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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