Best Communication Colleges in the United States (2026)
Updated
This page ranks 782 colleges in the United States by the median earnings of Communication graduates four years after completing. University of Pennsylvania leads the list with median earnings of $114,266 for its Communication graduates four years after completing.
Across the 711 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $114,266 to $15,817, with a median of $52,385.
The list is nearly evenly split between public and private institutions, with 387 public schools and 395 private nonprofits. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best on this page. San Diego Christian College posts the lowest average net price at $992.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Communication Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA | $114,266 | $28,699 | -$3,012* | 5.4% |
| University of Pennsylvania reports $114,266 in median earnings for its Communication graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (63 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($114,266) | |||||
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $99,915 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus admits 14% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 94%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (30 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($99,915) | |||||
| 3 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $88,463 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University carries an average net price of $28,690 alongside median earnings of $88,463 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (88 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($88,463) | |||||
| 4 | Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, CA | $84,206 | $50,062 | $22,985 | 48.0% |
| Santa Clara University ranks 4th on this list and shows a six-year completion rate of 88%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (137 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($84,206) | |||||
| 5 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $83,858 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology reports median earnings of $83,858 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 67%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (39 graduates), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (11 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($57,748) | |||||
| 6 | Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA | $83,586 | $41,704 | $4,284 | 16.4% |
| Boston College posts an average net price of $4,284 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 91%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (191 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($83,586) | |||||
| 7 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $82,444 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
| George Washington University ranks 245th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $82,444 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Journalism (69 graduates), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (45 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (30 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Journalism ($81,927), Communication and Media Studies ($79,112) | |||||
| 8 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $81,935 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
| Lehigh University admits 26% of applicants and carries an average net price of $36,931. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Journalism (30 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $81,497 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
| Villanova University reports median earnings of $81,497 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, with a six-year completion rate of 92%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (155 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($81,497) | |||||
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $79,648 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor carries an average net price of $1,043 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (255 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($79,648) | |||||
| 11 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $79,167 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
| Northeastern University admits 5% of applicants and reports median earnings of $79,167 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (135 graduates), Journalism (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($80,191), Journalism ($74,709) | |||||
| 12 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $79,107 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
| Fordham University ranks 12th on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 82%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (131 graduates), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (88 graduates), Journalism (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($77,244) | |||||
| 13 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $78,471 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California reports median earnings of $78,471 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate reaches 92%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (326 graduates), Journalism (92 graduates), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (77 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($87,946), Journalism ($79,776), Communication and Media Studies ($75,864) | |||||
| 14 | Fairfield University · Fairfield, CT | $78,081 | $48,095 | $33,302 | 33.3% |
| With an admission rate of 33%, Fairfield University ranks 14th on this list and shows a six-year completion rate of 84%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (61 graduates), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($78,081) | |||||
| 15 | Wake Forest University · Winston-Salem, NC | $77,984 | $28,719 | $6,525 | 21.7% |
| Wake Forest University posts median earnings of $77,984 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $28,719. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (130 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($77,984) | |||||
| 16 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $77,233 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
| Syracuse University admits 46% of applicants and reports an average net price of $15,817 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (198 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (140 graduates), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (124 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($90,535), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($70,815), Journalism ($70,404) | |||||
| 17 | New York University · New York, NY | $77,109 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University graduates 88% of its students within six years, and its Communication graduates earn a median of $77,109 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (410 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($77,109) | |||||
| 18 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $76,245 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
| University of Miami ranks 18th on this list and reports median earnings of $76,245 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (162 graduates), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (68 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($82,999), Journalism ($71,466), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($62,053) | |||||
| 19 | University of Virginia-Main Campus · Charlottesville, VA | $76,243 | $21,565 | $8,174 | 16.8% |
| A public university in Charlottesville, University of Virginia-Main Campus shows a six-year completion rate of 96% and an average net price of $21,565. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (6 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($76,243) | |||||
| 20 | Roanoke College · Salem, VA | $76,198 | $24,503 | $15,204 | 83.1% |
| Roanoke College admits 83% of applicants and reports median earnings of $76,198 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (33 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $75,955 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| Chapman University posts an average net price of $33,559 for families earning under $30,000, and its six-year completion rate stands at 82%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (104 graduates), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (43 graduates), Journalism (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($80,139), Journalism ($79,135), Communication and Media Studies ($73,461) | |||||
| 22 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $75,730 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
| Miami University-Oxford ranks 22nd on this list, with median earnings of $75,730 for its Communication graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (156 graduates), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (114 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (40 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($82,411), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($79,710), Journalism ($60,974) | |||||
| 23 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | No published median | $58,098 | $50,560 | 62.9% |
| Pepperdine University admits 63% of applicants and reports an average net price of $50,560 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (127 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (12 graduates), Journalism (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($81,417), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ($55,432) | |||||
| 24 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $75,612 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley reports median earnings of $75,612 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate reaches 93%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Communication and Media Studies (258 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Communication and Media Studies ($75,612) | |||||
| 25 | Butler University · Indianapolis, IN | $75,382 | $36,041 | $25,278 | 85.1% |
| Butler University reports median earnings of $75,382 for its Communication graduates four years after completing, and ranks 25th on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (88 graduates), Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (16 graduates), Journalism (15 graduates) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Communication graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Communication earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure is the median for federally aided Communication graduates who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 87 of the 782 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 711 schools with a published figure. University of Pennsylvania reports $114,266, which is $14,351 above the $99,915 posted by Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus.
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