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Best Colleges for Communications

The best colleges for a Communications degree, led by Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Communications programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Communications?

Based on our rankings, Stanford University is the top-ranked college for Communications. Other top choices include University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, Cornell University.

What are the best Communications schools?

The best Communications schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Communications?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Communications programs is approximately $57,847 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Communications degree?

A bachelor's degree in Communications typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Communications rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Communications graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Communications programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $97,430 per year. Below are the highest-paying Communications programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. Stanford University — Stanford, CA · 3.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,910 tuition · 92% grad rate
  2. 2. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, PA · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $68,686 tuition · 97% grad rate
  3. 3. Northwestern University — Evanston, IL · 7.7% acceptance · SAT 1,533 · $68,322 tuition · 95% grad rate
  4. 4. Cornell University — Ithaca, NY · 8.8% acceptance · SAT 1,535 · $69,314 tuition · 95% grad rate
  5. 5. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, PA · 11.7% acceptance · SAT 1,546 · $66,246 tuition · 94% grad rate
  6. 6. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
  7. 7. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, MI · 15.6% acceptance · SAT 1,465 · $60,946 tuition · 93% grad rate
  8. 8. The University of Texas at Austin — Austin, TX · 26.6% acceptance · SAT 1,395 · $44,908 tuition · 89% grad rate
  9. 9. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  10. 10. University of Virginia-Main Campus — Charlottesville, VA · 16.8% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $59,512 tuition · 96% grad rate
  11. 11. Villanova University — Villanova, PA · 27% acceptance · SAT 1,460 · $67,776 tuition · 92% grad rate
  12. 12. New York University — New York, NY · 9.2% acceptance · SAT 1,520 · $62,796 tuition · 88% grad rate
  13. 13. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, TN · 5.9% acceptance · SAT 1,549 · $67,498 tuition · 94% grad rate
  14. 14. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus — Atlanta, GA · 14.1% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $34,484 tuition · 94% grad rate
  15. 15. Washington University in St Louis — St. Louis, MO · 12.1% acceptance · SAT 1,530 · $65,790 tuition · 94% grad rate
  16. 16. Boston University — Boston, MA · 11.1% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $68,102 tuition · 89% grad rate
  17. 17. Northeastern University — Boston, MA · 5.2% acceptance · SAT 1,497 · $66,162 tuition · 91% grad rate
  18. 18. Texas A&M University-College Station — College Station, TX · 57.4% acceptance · SAT 1,280 · $40,124 tuition · 84% grad rate
  19. 19. Lehigh University — Bethlehem, PA · 25.9% acceptance · SAT 1,440 · $64,980 tuition · 88% grad rate
  20. 20. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, NC · 15.3% acceptance · SAT 1,439 · $41,203 tuition · 91% grad rate
  21. 21. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — Troy, NY · 63.5% acceptance · SAT 1,456 · $64,081 tuition · 84% grad rate
  22. 22. University of Maryland-College Park — College Park, MD · 44.8% acceptance · SAT 1,473 · $41,186 tuition · 89% grad rate
  23. 23. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — Blacksburg, VA · 54.8% acceptance · SAT 1,364 · $37,764 tuition · 86% grad rate
  24. 24. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, IL · 42.4% acceptance · SAT 1,440 · $35,124 tuition · 85% grad rate
  25. 25. University of Miami — Coral Gables, FL · 18.9% acceptance · SAT 1,415 · $62,616 tuition · 84% grad rate

Best Colleges for Communications on PickACampus