Best Communication and Media Studies Schools in New York

New York has 55 colleges offering Communication and Media Studies programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 3,758 recent graduates. Graduates earn $33,776 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $33,523.

School choice matters significantly: Cornell University graduates earn $55,813 while Mercy University graduates earn $17,950 — a $37,863 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

55
Schools in NY
$33,776
NY Avg. Earnings
$33,523
National Avg.
678
Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Communication and Media Studies in New York

Public Schools (20)
$32,586
avg. 2yr earnings
Private Schools (35)
$34,456
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $1,870 more in early earnings on average, but typically cost more. Compare net price to determine which offers better ROI.

Communication and Media Studies Schools in New York, Ranked by Earnings

#1
C

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$55,813
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $44,071
Graduates: 70
Acceptance: 8.2%
#2
C

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York, NY · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $51,317
Graduates: 35
Acceptance: 38.6%
#3
N

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$45,037
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $50,327
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 9.4%
#4
F

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

$44,610
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $42,213
Graduates: 265
Acceptance: 56.3%
#5
M

Manhattan University

Riverdale, NY · Private

$42,961
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $38,318
Graduates: 77
Acceptance: 78.5%
#6
H

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.8%
#7
M

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private

$41,087
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,947
Graduates: 315
Acceptance: 64.7%
#8
P

Pace University

New York, NY · Private

$39,774
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $35,313
Graduates: 173
Acceptance: 77.1%
#9
S

St Lawrence University

Canton, NY · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,681
Graduates: 40
Acceptance: 58.5%
#10
C

CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

$39,663
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,237
Graduates: 120
Acceptance: 58.1%
#11
S

St. Thomas Aquinas College

Sparkill, NY · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,236
Graduates: 19
Acceptance: 82.2%
#12
S

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,012
Graduates: 148
Acceptance: 79.7%
#13
M

Marymount Manhattan College

New York, NY · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $35,894
Graduates: 61
Acceptance: 78.9%
#14
F

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 69.1%
#15
S

SUNY College at Potsdam

Potsdam, NY · Public

$36,437
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,152
Graduates: 45
Acceptance: 85.5%
#16
M

Molloy University

Rockville Centre, NY · Private

$35,594
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,089
Graduates: 38
Acceptance: 75.6%
#17
C

CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY · Public

$35,518
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $27,694
Graduates: 62
Acceptance: 68.5%
#18
U

University of Mount Saint Vincent

Bronx, NY · Private

$35,416
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $21,885
Graduates: 35
Acceptance: 84.6%
#19
N

Nazareth University

Rochester, NY · Private

$35,416
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 79.5%
#20
I

Iona University

New Rochelle, NY · Private

$35,327
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $33,114
Graduates: 113
Acceptance: 91.1%
#21
S

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY · Public

$35,060
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $36,536
Graduates: 129
Acceptance: 50.7%
#22
C

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY · Public

$34,847
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,321
Graduates: 61
Acceptance: 53.7%
#23
U

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY · Public

$34,793
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,834
Graduates: 205
Acceptance: 69.3%
#24
T

The New School

New York, NY · Private

$34,420
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,021
Graduates: 50
Acceptance: 62.5%
#25
C

Canisius University

Buffalo, NY · Private

$34,157
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,425
Graduates: 41
Acceptance: 81.8%
#26
C

Clarkson University

Potsdam, NY · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 77.2%
#27
C

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,241
Graduates: 151
Acceptance: 54.0%
#28
M

Manhattanville University

Purchase, NY · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,987
Graduates: 44
Acceptance: 84.7%
#29
S

St. John Fisher University

Rochester, NY · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,940
Graduates: 55
Acceptance: 67.8%
#30
V

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private

$33,959
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $18,701
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 17.7%
#31
T

The College of Saint Rose

Albany, NY · Private

$33,382
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $30,103
Graduates: 71
Acceptance: 73.4%
#32
S

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

$33,281
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,905
Graduates: 109
Acceptance: 41.7%
#33
S

SUNY College at Geneseo

Geneseo, NY · Public

$32,711
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,563
Graduates: 103
Acceptance: 63.5%
#34
H

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY · Private

$32,569
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,105
Graduates: 52
Acceptance: 57.3%
#35
D

Dominican University New York

Orangeburg, NY · Private

$32,391
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,036
Graduates: 22
Acceptance: 78.8%
#36
S

St. Francis College

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$31,042
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $24,738
Graduates: 73
Acceptance: N/A
#37
S

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, NY · Public

$30,771
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,553
Graduates: 92
Acceptance: 84.6%
#38
C

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, NY · Public

$30,616
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,599
Graduates: 73
Acceptance: N/A
#39
S

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY · Public

$30,409
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,613
Graduates: 77
Acceptance: 58.7%
#40
L

Le Moyne College

Syracuse, NY · Private

$30,305
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $33,409
Graduates: 55
Acceptance: 75.3%
#41
S

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY · Public

$29,866
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,844
Graduates: 85
Acceptance: 75.9%
#42
A

Alfred University

Alfred, NY · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 48.3%
#43
S

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY · Public

$29,322
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,936
Graduates: 54
Acceptance: 71.3%
#44
N

Niagara University

Niagara University, NY · Private

$28,960
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,629
Graduates: 29
Acceptance: 85.3%
#45
S

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY · Public

$28,960
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $30,755
Graduates: 98
Acceptance: 70.2%
#46
S

SUNY at Purchase College

Purchase, NY · Public

$28,236
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,852
Graduates: 96
Acceptance: 72.8%
#47
U

Utica University

Utica, NY · Private

$28,236
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 87.2%
#48
S

State University of New York at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY · Public

$28,105
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $30,387
Graduates: 82
Acceptance: 75.2%
#49
A

Adelphi University

Garden City, NY · Private

$27,669
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $30,049
Graduates: 46
Acceptance: 77.5%
#50
C

CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY · Public

$25,658
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $24,456
Graduates: 75
Acceptance: 55.4%
#51
M

Mount Saint Mary College

Newburgh, NY · Private

$25,194
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 82.5%
#52
H

Houghton University

Houghton, NY · Private

$24,872
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,222
Graduates: 27
Acceptance: 92.7%
#53
S

SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill

Cobleskill, NY · Public

$22,824
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,095
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 83.3%
#54
I

Ithaca College

Ithaca, NY · Private

$20,140
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 69.9%
#55
M

Mercy University

Dobbs Ferry, NY · Private

$17,950
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,554
Graduates: 33
Acceptance: 85.5%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Communication and Media Studies in New York?
Cornell University ranks #1 for Communication and Media Studies in New York with median graduate earnings of $55,813 within two years of graduation. There are 55 schools offering Communication and Media Studies programs in the state.
How much do Communication and Media Studies graduates earn in New York?
Communication and Media Studies graduates in New York earn an average of $33,776 within two years of graduation. This is 1% above the national average of $33,523 for this major.
What is the hardest Communication and Media Studies school to get into in New York?
Cornell University is the most selective Communication and Media Studies program in New York with an acceptance rate of 8.2%. The average acceptance rate across Communication and Media Studies programs in the state is 66.8%.
Should I attend a public or private school for Communication and Media Studies in New York?
In New York, private Communication and Media Studies programs produce average earnings of $34,456 vs $32,586 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 20 public and 35 private options in the state.

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Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.