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 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 degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction 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. Whether 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 of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords 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 asynchronous, 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 Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Q: 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 and make walks across campus more fun. 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.

Badge for BEST FOR COMMUNICATIONS COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

By Dave Tomar and Dr. James Barham

Published: Oct 5, 2020
Updated: Nov 27, 2023

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.

Table of Contents

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.

Featured Programs

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:

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 and make walks across campus more fun. 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 degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction 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. Whether 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 of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords 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 asynchronous, 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.

The Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Stanford University
University of Pennsylvania
University of California, Berkeley
Northwestern University
MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Go to full ranking

Pomona College
Vassar College
Claremont McKenna College
Washington and Lee University
San Francisco State University

Go to full ranking

University of Missouri
University of Iowa
University of Arizona
Arizona State University
Texas Tech University

Go to full ranking

Career Outlook for Students with Communications Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Communication

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,566
Avg. Expenses*: $16,504
Avg. Starting Salary*: $33,395
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $45,204
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 12 years
Job Growth: 2.98%
Number of Jobs: 920,200
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Public Relations Managers	5.97%	$119,176
Fundraising Managers	5.04%	$103,968
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	3.57%	$72,568
Writers and Authors	3.70%	$65,547
Editors	-3.93%	$62,469
Public Relations Specialists	6.06%	$61,166
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	4.26%	$58,366
Fundraisers	5.24%	$57,772
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	-3.25%	$48,039
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	-11.43%	$40,804

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$42,827	$69,084	$118,541

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 New York	5% higher than average	$98,027
#3 Virginia	5% higher than average	$85,544
#4 California	26% higher than average	$108,436
#5 Georgia	13% higher than average	$69,820
#6 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$90,417
#7 Colorado	3% higher than average	$81,604
#8 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$69,787
#9 Delaware	2% higher than average	$80,274
#10 Michigan	15% higher than average	$66,387
#11 Ohio	14% higher than average	$66,826
#12 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$92,402
#13 Missouri	16% higher than average	$64,833
#14 Texas	10% higher than average	$67,996
#15 Illinois	7% higher than average	$70,380
#16 Washington	7% higher than average	$80,754
#17 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$70,091
#18 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$69,964
#19 Kansas	9% higher than average	$65,718
#20 Indiana	11% higher than average	$63,582
#21 Iowa	9% higher than average	$64,775
#22 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$60,938
#23 Florida	6% higher than average	$66,736
#24 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$65,853
#25 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$86,808
#26 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$59,801
#27 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$64,708
#28 Utah	4% higher than average	$65,658
#29 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$101,337
#30 Nevada	5% higher than average	$71,166
#31 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$58,992
#32 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$79,393
#33 Alabama	13% higher than average	$57,920
#34 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$62,736
#35 Arizona	5% higher than average	$63,061
#36 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$54,974
#37 Maryland	18% higher than average	$76,816
#38 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$73,061
#39 Idaho	7% higher than average	$59,673
#40 Montana	3% higher than average	$61,392
#41 Oregon	11% higher than average	$70,121
#42 North Dakota	average	$63,086
#43 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$56,497
#44 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$49,956
#45 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$53,683
#46 Maine	9% higher than average	$63,809
#47 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$53,713
#48 Alaska	23% higher than average	$71,334
#49 Vermont	13% higher than average	$63,449
#50 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$49,654
#51 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$49,347
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$63,583

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Public Relations Managers	$119,176
Fundraising Managers	$103,968
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	$72,568
Writers and Authors	$65,547
Editors	$62,469
Public Relations Specialists	$61,166
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	$58,366
Fundraisers	$57,772
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$48,039
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	$40,804

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

The Best Communications Schools in Your State

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

Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Communications Bachelor’s Degrees

The Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Best Communications Major Research Universities

Best Communications Major Liberal Arts Colleges

Best Communications Major Online Colleges

Career Outlook for Students with Communications Degree

Communication

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Career Salaries

Average Career Salaries

Promising Job Markets

Top Industries

The Best Communications Schools in Your State

Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Communications Bachelor’s Degrees

What can I do with a communications major?

Is communications a good major?

What courses will I take as a communications major?

What jobs can I do with a communications major?

The Best Colleges and Universities for Communications Degrees

Best Communications Major Research Universities

Best Communications Major Liberal Arts Colleges

Best Communications Major Online Colleges

Career Outlook for Students with Communications Degree

Communication

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Career Salaries

Average Career Salaries

Promising Job Markets

Top Industries

The Best Communications Schools in Your State