by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 51 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 2,383 bachelor's degrees in communication & media studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of communication & media studies for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their bachelor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for communication & media studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
The communications school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region.
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.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in communication & media studies. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
It is difficult to beat University of Kansas if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in communication & media studies. Located in the city of Lawrence, KU is a public university with a very large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the communication & media studies major at University of Kansas make $2,264 more than the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from University of Kansas
It's hard to beat University of Iowa if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in communication & media studies. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a very large student population.
Soon after graduating, communications bachelor's recipients generally make an average of $37,647 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from University of Iowa
It's difficult to beat University of Minnesota - Twin Cities if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in communication & media studies. UMN Twin Cities is a fairly large public university located in the city of Minneapolis.More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in communication & media studies has to check out University of Missouri - Columbia. Located in the city of Columbia, Mizzou is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Communication & Media Studies bachelor's degree recipients from University of Missouri - Columbia get an earnings boost of approximately $5,570 above the average earnings of communication & media studies graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from University of Missouri - Columbia
Minnesota State Mankato is a large public university located in the small city of Mankato.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the communications program make an average of $39,798 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from Minnesota State University - Mankato
Located in the small city of Saint Cloud, St. Cloud State University is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's students who receive their degree from the communications program make around $40,279 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from Saint Cloud State University
Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ames.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the communications program state that they receive average early career income of $40,497.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from Iowa State University
Located in the city of Lincoln, UNL is a public university with a very large student population.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the communications program make around $39,702 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Located in the large city of Omaha, Creighton is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from Creighton University
Located in the small city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.
Those communication & media studies students who get their bachelor's degree from Lindenwood University receive $3,071 more than the average communications graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in communication & media studies from Lindenwood UniversityThese 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 Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, IA |
| 12 | Winona State University | Winona, MN |
| 13 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND |
| 14 | College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph, MN |
| 15 | University of St Thomas Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN |
| 16 | University of South Dakota | Vermillion, SD |
| 17 | Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
Explore the best communication & media studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 228 | 929 |
| Minnesota | 215 | 817 |
| Iowa | 197 | 495 |
| Kansas | 184 | 440 |
| Nebraska | 180 | 142 |
| North Dakota | 149 | 120 |
| South Dakota | 148 | 137 |
Communication & Media Studies is one of 5 different types of Communication & Journalism programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication | 1,480 |
| Communications | 498 |
| Communication & Media Studies | 388 |
| Other Communication & Media Studies | 17 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Journalism | 1,238 |
| Public Relations & Advertising | 972 |
| Radio, Television & Digital Communication | 174 |
| Communication & Journalism (Other) | 120 |
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