Communications Major
Journalism, public relations, advertising, broadcasting, digital media. Heavily project-portfolio-driven — your internships and work samples matter more than your school's name.
Typical Earnings
$45,000 starting / $75,000 mid-career
Top Schools Below
50 ranked by program focus
Realistic career paths
PR SpecialistMarketing CoordinatorJournalistSocial Media ManagerContent StrategistCommunications Director
Top schools for communications
Ranked by what share of degrees the school awards in this field. A high % means the school is genuinely focused on this major, not just listing it as a program.
| School | Location | % in Communications | Net Price | 10-yr Earnings | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrini University Private | Radnor, PA | 13% | $24,051 | $49,600 | 69% |
| University of Oregon Public | Eugene, OR | 13% | $22,182 | $51,300 | 88% |
| Boston University Private | Boston, MA | 13% | $24,402 | $75,900 | 11% |
| Rollins College Private | Winter Park, FL | 12% | $34,732 | $53,100 | 48% |
| Howard University Private | Washington, DC | 11% | $50,539 | $54,500 | 41% |
| Southern Oregon University Public | Ashland, OR | 11% | $16,732 | $43,400 | 89% |
| Woodbury University Private | Burbank, CA | 11% | $33,692 | $52,100 | 82% |
| University of Colorado Boulder Public | Boulder, CO | 11% | $25,346 | $59,700 | 78% |
| Bethune-Cookman University Private | Daytona Beach, FL | 10% | $12,030 | $32,300 | 88% |
| DePaul University Private | Chicago, IL | 10% | $29,141 | $60,200 | 74% |
| California Lutheran University Private | Thousand Oaks, CA | 10% | $30,109 | $60,200 | 76% |
| University of Miami Private | Coral Gables, FL | 10% | $37,244 | $72,900 | 19% |
| The University of Alabama Public | Tuscaloosa, AL | 10% | $22,420 | $51,600 | 77% |
| Lincoln University Public | Lincoln University, PA | 9% | $14,977 | $36,200 | 66% |
| The University of Tampa Private | Tampa, FL | 9% | $36,211 | $55,100 | 40% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara Public | Santa Barbara, CA | 9% | $16,109 | $62,400 | 33% |
| Temple University Public | Philadelphia, PA | 9% | $28,198 | $59,000 | 80% |
| California State University-Northridge Public | Northridge, CA | 9% | $7,021 | $49,700 | 93% |
| Regent University Private | Virginia Beach, VA | 9% | $19,923 | $45,600 | 38% |
| Fairfield University Private | Fairfield, CT | 8% | $48,095 | $80,100 | 33% |
| Montclair State University Public | Montclair, NJ | 8% | $15,566 | $52,400 | 88% |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Public | Norman, OK | 8% | $15,300 | $61,900 | 77% |
| Ohio University-Main Campus Public | Athens, OH | 8% | $21,637 | $45,800 | 85% |
| Samford University Private | Birmingham, AL | 8% | $32,622 | $59,800 | 82% |
| Loyola Marymount University Private | Los Angeles, CA | 8% | $48,381 | $71,600 | 45% |
| Rowan University Public | Glassboro, NJ | 8% | $22,408 | $55,400 | 78% |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion Public | Scottsdale, AZ | 8% | — | $55,500 | 67% |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University Private | West Palm Beach, FL | 8% | $28,354 | $48,000 | 82% |
| Loyola University Chicago Private | Chicago, IL | 8% | $35,196 | $63,500 | 81% |
| Washington State University Public | Pullman, WA | 7% | $14,971 | $56,600 | 87% |
| Marietta College Private | Marietta, OH | 7% | $21,083 | $57,700 | 79% |
| Miles College Private | Fairfield, AL | 7% | $14,271 | $29,500 | — |
| American University Private | Washington, DC | 7% | $41,943 | $67,700 | 62% |
| Virginia State University Public | Petersburg, VA | 7% | $15,840 | $38,400 | 89% |
| Monmouth College Private | Monmouth, IL | 7% | $18,034 | $46,500 | 87% |
| Wilberforce University Private | Wilberforce, OH | 7% | $5,567 | $38,400 | 41% |
| Bradley University Private | Peoria, IL | 7% | $23,572 | $58,300 | 77% |
| Eastern Connecticut State University Public | Willimantic, CT | 7% | $21,067 | $49,000 | 83% |
| Lynn University Private | Boca Raton, FL | 7% | $44,089 | $46,500 | 73% |
| Miami University-Oxford Public | Oxford, OH | 7% | $28,384 | $55,400 | 75% |
| University of Connecticut Public | Storrs, CT | 7% | $25,097 | $66,000 | 52% |
| Mount Mary University Private | Milwaukee, WI | 7% | $20,144 | $43,000 | 62% |
| University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Public | Oshkosh, WI | 7% | $14,305 | $45,600 | 87% |
| Florida Southern College Private | Lakeland, FL | 6% | $28,551 | $44,400 | 64% |
| Vanguard University of Southern California Private | Costa Mesa, CA | 6% | $21,241 | $48,800 | 62% |
| California State University-Los Angeles Public | Los Angeles, CA | 6% | $3,967 | $49,900 | 91% |
| San Diego State University Public | San Diego, CA | 6% | $15,364 | $55,900 | 36% |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Public | Baton Rouge, LA | 6% | $19,151 | $60,100 | 73% |
| The New School Private | New York, NY | 6% | $58,741 | $55,200 | 63% |
| Kent State University at Kent Public | Kent, OH | 6% | $20,787 | $42,400 | 86% |
What this ranking is and isn't
What it is: A list of schools where communications is actually a focus area, ranked by what % of degrees fall in this field. If you want to be surrounded by people studying the same thing, this list is what you want.
What it isn't: A prestige ranking. MIT might have an outstanding communications program but rank low here if the school awards more degrees in other fields. For program quality alone, look at faculty research output, employer recruiting, and graduate outcomes — not the share of degrees.