Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees 2025

Badge for BEST FOR COMMUNICATIONS COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

By Dave Tomar and Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Oct 31, 2024

The best communications degree programs 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 anthropology degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding anthropology faculty.

Key Takeaways

The top communications programs offer advanced studios, production labs, and digital media centers where students can gain hands-on experience in broadcasting, podcasting, and multimedia production, preparing them for diverse roles in the communications field.
Leading colleges provide a variety of specializations, such as digital media, public relations, journalism, and strategic communication, allowing students to tailor their studies to match specific career goals in the dynamic communications industry.
The programs in our ranking often have established partnerships with media companies, PR firms, and digital agencies, providing students with ample internship opportunities and access to professionals, which can enhance networking and employment prospects after graduation.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees in 2025

University of California, Berkeley
+2
Stanford University
–1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
+2
University of Pennsylvania
–2
Northwestern University
–1
University of Iowa
+6
University of Arizona
+6
University of Missouri
+3
Arizona State University
+6
Vassar College
–3

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best communications degrees saw a considerable amount of shuffling. The University of California, Berkeley was able to gain the top ranking position as the university introduced exciting improvements for communications students, including a state-of-the-art Digital Media Innovation Lab, which features cutting-edge technology for video, audio, and virtual reality content creation. The program now offers new courses in digital storytelling, social media analytics, and emerging media platforms, ensuring students are prepared for the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Additionally, Berkeley has strengthened partnerships with prominent media and tech companies in the Bay Area, expanding internship and mentorship opportunities that provide invaluable industry insights and hands-on experience in high-demand communication skills.

Featured Programs

The Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

The Best Communications Schools in Your State

A bachelor’s degree in communications is an excellent starting point for a career in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, and a host of other exciting fields. As a communications major, you’ll study language, group dynamics, non-verbal interaction, and more. Majoring in communication can qualify you for a wide range of professional opportunities in business, education, mass media, and more.

A degree in communication may also prepare you for work as a technician in broadcast, film editing, and a host of other media-related technical roles. Exceptional communication skills could also qualify you for a leadership role in a variety of organizational settings. The best schools for communications are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of communications concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Degree popularity: Communication bachelor’s degrees are the 21th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics. It’s slightly more popular among women, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees 2025

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

The Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of California, Berkeley

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Stanford University

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Pennsylvania

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Northwestern University

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Iowa

University of Iowa’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Arizona

University of Arizona’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Missouri

University of Missouri’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Arizona State University

Arizona State University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Vassar College

Career Outlook for Communications degree at San Francisco State University

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Pomona College

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Washington and Lee University

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Claremont McKenna College

The Best Communications Schools in Your State