Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Communications Degree

By Dave Tomar and James Barham

Published: Nov 5, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

The best communications liberal arts colleges are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best communications degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding communications faculty.

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Communications Programs

Vassar College

58%

San Francisco State University

51%

Pomona College

51%

Washington and Lee University

50%

DePauw University

49%

San Jose State University

48%

Claremont McKenna College

43%

California State University, Long Beach

42%

Goucher College

42%

Macalester College

41%

Columbia College Chicago

96%

California State University, Sacramento

94%

San Francisco State University

93%

San Jose State University

84%

Saint Joseph's University

83%

Goucher College

82%

La Salle University

81%

Mills College at Northeastern University

80%

Ithaca College

78%

Beloit College

67%

California State University, Sacramento

26 to 1

San Jose State University

25 to 1

California State University, Long Beach

24 to 1

San Francisco State University

22 to 1

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

21 to 1

Marist College

16 to 1

College of the Ozarks

15 to 1

Columbia College Chicago

14 to 1

13 to 1

11 to 1

$62,870

$60,518

Washington and Lee University

$59,380

Scripps College

$58,442

Claremont McKenna College

$58,111

$57,978

$56,686

$54,910

$54,680

$53,896

Claremont McKenna College

$64,288

Vassar College

$61,940

Scripps College

$46,774

Bentley University

$42,200

Mills College at Northeastern University

$34,833

Trinity University

$23,597

Ithaca College

$22,056

Saint Joseph's University

$18,144

Marist College

$15,660

Goucher College

$9,180

College of the Ozarks

20%

Mills College at Northeastern University

23%

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

30%

Marist College

32%

Bentley University

34%

Columbia College Chicago

35%

36%

36%

36%

36%

Claremont McKenna College

11%

Pitzer College

18%

Washington and Lee University

19%

Vassar College

20%

College of the Ozarks

21%

Scripps College

30%

Macalester College

31%

Berea College

33%

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

33%

Pomona College

6 to 1

Washington and Lee University

8 to 1

Mills College at Northeastern University

8 to 1

Vassar College

8 to 1

DePauw University

8 to 1

Claremont McKenna College

8 to 1

9 to 1

9 to 1

9 to 1

9 to 1

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

$5,742

California State University, Sacramento

$5,742

California State University, Long Beach

$5,742

San Francisco State University

$5,742

San Jose State University

$5,742

College of the Ozarks

$19,960

Columbia College Chicago

$27,786

Mills College at Northeastern University

$30,950

La Salle University

$33,150

Marist College

$43,410

La Salle University

$885

Columbia College Chicago

$1,174

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

$7,176

California State University, Sacramento

$7,176

California State University, Long Beach

$7,176

San Francisco State University

$7,176

San Jose State University

$7,176

Goucher College

$9,180

Marist College

$15,660

Saint Joseph's University

$18,144

Key Takeaways

Communications is among one of the most popular college majors. A degree in communications can provide pathways into countless fields and career opportunities.
A liberal arts college typically offers smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and a wide range of subject areas to study.
The liberal arts colleges in our ranking offer excellent communications programs. Some top considerations when choosing the right school include: cost, curricula, and student-teacher ratio.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Communications Within the Liberal Arts Discipline

For centuries, the liberal arts and sciences have been the core of any college education and are more useful and important today than ever before. Instead of a narrow program with a primary focus, an liberal arts education includes many subjects and areas of study.

You can study and explore:

The humanities
The arts
Hard sciences
Languages
Social sciences
Mass communications
Health professions
Environmental sciences
Writing
Math

...and many others. You will be exposed to the cultures and ideas of other people from across the world, from ancient times up to today.

With this many interesting things to learn and discover within the liberal arts and sciences umbrella, it’s not a surprise to find so many liberal arts colleges today.

Selecting a Communications Program in the Best Liberal Arts College

Once you have decided to attend a liberal arts college, there are several factors to consider when scouting for the right school. It’s imperative for communications students that your chosen college will meet your educational and personal needs. Here are some helpful guidelines to get you started.

Assess the Curriculum and Evaluate the School

Ideally, start considering the liberal arts college you want to attend during your junior year in high school. Compile a list of potential colleges to choose from, then start narrowing down your list by researching all the schools on your list, assessing their curriculum.

Know the College’s Strengths and Weaknesses

All liberal arts colleges are not created equal. Make sure the school you are interested in is not weak in the areas that are crucial to you.

For example, if you plan to study music, don’t attend a liberal arts college with a solid science program but only a sub-par music offering. Discover both the strengths and weaknesses of every liberal college on your list.

Check the Student-Teacher Ratio

A lot of college students who intend to attend a liberal arts college prefer a lower student-teacher ratio. But it is also important to note that while most liberal arts colleges generally have smaller class sizes, not all do.

However, the student-teacher ratio is one of the strongest signs of student success and engagement. This will provide you with information as to how personalized an instruction might be.

In larger colleges, students can easily feel like small fish in a big pond. With larger classes, it is harder for professors to connect with students. With a college that has a lower student-teacher ratio, it is easier for professors and students to make those connections.

Graduation Rates

One way to assess a school’s performance is by looking at its graduation rates. Graduation rates can help you get a sense of the quality of the school. These metrics tell you how many students are enrolled and how many of these students complete their degrees.

Pay close attention to how a school supports its students on its campus. Colleges with low graduation rates may indicate certain issues like a lack of student guidance or support services

Frequently Asked Questions About Communications Bachelor’s Degrees

You can turn a communications major into a virtually limitless array of careers. How you use your degree in communications will depend largely on a combination of skills, personal interests, and opportunity. Whether you’d like to edit books for a publishing house, produce a talk radio show, or chase news stories across the globe, majoring in communication can get you started on your way.

Today, top influencers in communication are expanding research on subjects such as the political economy of communication, community media ecologies and impacts on civic and public life, citizen journalism, and much more.

Communications is a popular major because it can provide pathways into countless fields and career opportunities. The study of communication is a balance of theoretical concepts and practical skills. These practical skills are valuable in any field. You’ll learn many of the critical 21st Century skills that employers value such as collaboration, creativity, and the ability to express yourself in a variety of media. Hiring firms actively seek out job candidates with strong writing, speaking, and web-mediated communication skills.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2019, the median annual wage for media and communication occupations was $59,230, as compared to a median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810. And if you succeed as an on-air broadcasting talent, an accomplished journalist, or a noted public relations specialist, you could earn quite a bit more.

Once you’ve declared your major in communications, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized communications electives, there are a number of common courses that most communications majors will be required to take, including:

Communication in Digital Media
Public Relations
Technical Writing
Writing in Journalism
Interpersonal Communication
Organizational Communication
Photojournalism
Crisis Communication

Majoring in communication can provide inroads to a wide range of careers in mass media, journalism, writing, public relations, publishing and much more. Your communication skills and personal interests could take you down a wide range of professional paths, including these top jobs:

Related: How to Major in Communications

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in communications.

How do we determine the best communications research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.