Best Schools for Communication and Media Studies

Communication and Media Studies graduates earn a median of $54,713 within four years of graduating, ranking #177 out of 283 tracked majors — 13% below the median across all fields. There are 736 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 69,121 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of Pennsylvania graduates earn $114,266 while Fort Valley State University graduates earn $26,285 — a $87,981 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Communication and Media Studies graduates see an average 4% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

736

Schools

$54,713

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#177

of 283 Majors

69,121

Graduates

Public vs Private: Communication and Media Studies

Public (364 schools)

$53,975

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (363 schools)

$55,683

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $1,708 more in early earnings on average for Communication and Media Studies graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Communication and Media Studies by State

Also by state: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Top Communication and Media Studies Schools by Graduate Earnings

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA · Private

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private

Villanova University

Villanova, PA · Private

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$78,866

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

1yr: $27,889 (17)

Acceptance: 11.1%

#12

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT · Private

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC · Private

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA · Private

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

Roanoke College

Salem, VA · Private

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private

Manhattan University

Riverdale, NY · Private

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

Elon University

Elon, NC · Private

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY · Private

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA · Private

$73,558

4yr Earnings

27 grads · small sample

1yr: $29,397 (18)

Acceptance: 76.0%

#27

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

The Catholic University of America

Washington, DC · Private

$73,073

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

St Lawrence University

Canton, NY · Private

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · Public

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York, NY · Public

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, MD · Private

Simmons University

Boston, MA · Private

$71,138

4yr Earnings

29 grads · small sample

Stonehill College

Easton, MA · Private

Roger Williams University

Bristol, RI · Private

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR · Public

$70,532

4yr Earnings

24 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 85.1%

#40

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

Willamette University

Salem, OR · Private

$70,412

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

1yr: $25,490 (35)

Acceptance: 79.1%

#42

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

Pace University

New York, NY · Private

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA · Public

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN · Private

Saint Anselm College

Manchester, NH · Private

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN · Private

Showing top 50 of 736 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Design and Applied Arts $34,013 Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General $33,860 Psychology, Other $33,808 Education, General $33,758 Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $33,743 Microbiological Sciences and Immunology $33,562

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Communication and Media Studies?

University of Pennsylvania ranks #1 for Communication and Media Studies with median graduate earnings of $114,266 within four years of graduating. There are 736 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Communication and Media Studies graduates earn?

Communication and Media Studies graduates earn an average of $54,713 within four years of graduating. This is 13% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $26,285 to $114,266 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Communication and Media Studies program?

The average acceptance rate across Communication and Media Studies programs is 75.5%. The most selective program is at Brown University with a 5.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Communication and Media Studies?

Private Communication and Media Studies programs average $55,683 in early earnings vs $53,975 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

Get Communication and Media Studies Career Insights

We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI by school. Be the first to get yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.