Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees 2025

Badge for BEST FOR COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

Updated: Oct 8, 2024

The best communications research universities 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:

A communication bachelor’s degree is the 21^st most popular undergraduate degree across all student demographics. This program is offered at many colleges and universities, which means you’ll have numerous choices when searching for the best school.
A degree in communication is your pathway to countless job opportunities. Studying communication is a combination of balancing practical skills and theoretical concepts. Once you hone these skills, you’ll become one of the most sought-after professionals among various media outlets.
With a communications degree, you can pursue a career in journalism, mass communications, publishing, public relations, or editing, among others.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Research Universities Communications Programs in 2025

University of California, Berkeley
+2
Stanford University
–1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
+2
University of Michigan
+2
New York University
+2
Cornell University
+2
University of Pennsylvania
–5
University of California, Los Angeles
+2
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
+2

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 research universities for communications degrees saw a considerable amount of movement. The University of California, Berkeley was able to gain first place as a result of the university expanding its Digital Media and Communication Innovation Lab, which provides students with access to cutting-edge tools for studying digital communication, social media analytics, and media production.

Additionally, Berkeley has introduced new interdisciplinary courses that combine communication studies with technology and public policy, allowing students to explore the intersections of media, society, and technological innovation. The university has also strengthened its partnerships with media organizations and tech companies, offering students more internship opportunities and real-world experience in communications fields such as journalism, digital marketing, and public relations.

Featured Programs

Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Communications Degree

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Communication

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,942
Avg. Expenses*: $17,384
Avg. Starting Salary*: $34,970
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $45,289
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 12 years
Job Growth: 4.14%
Number of Jobs: 926,700
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Public Relations Managers	6.89%	$134,760
Fundraising Managers	6.02%	$119,200
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	3.43%	$79,910
Editors	-2.01%	$75,020
Writers and Authors	5.11%	$73,690
Public Relations Specialists	6.23%	$66,750
Fundraisers	5.88%	$64,160
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	7.78%	$61,900
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	-2.81%	$57,500
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	-4.15%	$44,890

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Public Relations Managers	$134,760
Fundraising Managers	$119,200
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	$79,910
Editors	$75,020
Writers and Authors	$73,690
Public Relations Specialists	$66,750
Fundraisers	$64,160
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	$61,900
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$57,500
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	$44,890

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.

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.

Why Communication Degrees Result in Excellent Careers

The digital era has drastically changed how people see the world and how they receive and access information. But why is a communications degree a good career choice? And what are the unique career opportunities that await you after completing this program?

You will become qualified for job opportunities that you never knew existed

Developing your communication skills can can prepare you for a traditional career in news, media, design, television, and more. But did you know there are also surprisingly interesting career paths you can achieve from communication programs?

A communications graduate could become a curator-in-chief, a story producer, or a music supervisor! Many unique job opportunities are available in the diverse world of communication.

You will make money

Communication and journalism are among the college majors with the highest earnings. Many degree holders in this field even pursue careers in politics or law.

Your ideas are valued

The field of communication is a very broad one. Many communications majors are creative. Creative people have some of the highest job satisfaction rates. They find their jobs interesting, make a lot of decisions, and find many opportunities to take the initiative.

You can work from anywhere

Entrepreneurship and freelancing are two scary words, but the rewards of working on your own and following your schedule outweigh the risks!

A degree in communication is great if you love traveling. Whether chasing a scoop or working on an assignment, freelance jobs in communication give you a chance to work remotely. All you really need is an Internet connection.

Designers, documentarians, wander lusters, and reporters alike all know how amazing it is to live this kind of lifestyle.

Common Areas of Study in Communications Degree Programs

Advertising and Marketing

This is the act of using communication as the primary means of promoting something like a brand, a product, an organization, or a business.

In a degree program in advertising and marketing communications, students are taught how to use an applicable communication theory and leverage the media to communicate with an audience effectively.

Usual topics of study in this program include:

audience identification
social media
digital marketing
marketing methods
business finance
public relations

Broadcasting

This program teaches students how to write, direct, and produce media content for distribution. Broadcasting refers to media that goes out to televisions, radio, and other streaming media services.

Communication Education

In this master’s degree program, students study how communication and information influence our education and culture. The drive is to understand better how education and communication intersect so students in this program can ultimately teach and handle courses related to communication.

Electronic and Digital Media Communication

This degree prepares college students to interrelate with the more modern forms of communication, including television, social media, and other internet-based devices.

Students will learn how to deliver stories using modern communication methods, like producing reports for television or producing videos for various websites. Usual career paths for electronic and digital media communication degree holders include video production, newscasting, photography, sports reporting, and radio programming.

If you think a liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in communication.

Go to all Research Universities for Communications programs

The Best Communications Schools in Your State

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Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees 2025

Key Takeaways:

Top 10 Research Universities Communications Programs in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of California, Berkeley

Most Influential Alumni

UCB Communication Major:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Stanford University

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Stanford University Communication Major Tracks:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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MIT Communication Majors:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Michigan

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University of Michigan Communication Major:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at New York University

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New York University Communication Majors:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Cornell University

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Cornell University Communication Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Pennsylvania

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University of Pennsylvania Communication Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of California, Los Angeles

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UCLA Communication Major Specialization:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Southern California

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University of Southern California Communication Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Texas at Austin

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UT Austin Communication Major Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Washington

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University of Washington Communication Majors:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Northwestern University

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Northwestern University Communication Majors:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Carnegie Mellon University

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Carnegie Mellon University Communication Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Brown University

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Brown University Communication Major Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Boston University

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Boston University Communication Major Fields of Study:

Boston University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Washington University in St. Louis

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Washington University in St. Louis Communication Major Concentrations:

Washington University in St. Louis’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Amherst College Communication Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at George Washington University

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George Washington University Communication Major Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Maryland, College Park

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University of Maryland Communication Major Specializations:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Florida

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University of Florida Communication Majors:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Emory University

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Emory University Communication Major Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at Vanderbilt University

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Vanderbilt University Communication Major Degree:

Career Outlook for Communications degree at University of Georgia

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University of Georgia Communication Major:

University of Georgia’s Online Degrees