Updated at: 25-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

If you want to learn how to convey information to different groups of people while still meeting the needs of your company, a degree in communications is the way to go. Therefore, if you want to learn from the best in this field, you should search for the best communications schools.

The main goal of a degree in communications is to teach students how to effectively communicate their ideas. In order to succeed in any field, you need to be able to effectively market your products to the public and foster lasting partnerships with your investors, clients, and customers.

Best Communication Colleges In The Us

Best communication colleges in the us

University of Southern California

University of Southern California

USC should be on the radar of anyone thinking about majoring in media and communication. The University of Southern California (USC) is a large, Los Angeles-based private, nonprofit research institution. USC is a fantastic institution, as evidenced by its Best Colleges ranking of #18 out of 2,241 universities in the country.

In the most recent year for which data is available, approximately 567 students majoring in communication and media studies graduated from USC. The average salary for a graduate of the Communication and Media Studies program at the University of Southern California is $20,824.

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

If you’re set on earning a degree in communication and media studies, it’s hard to do better than the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. U-M is a large public university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. U-M is a fantastic college all around, as evidenced by its Best Colleges ranking of #25 out of 2,241 institutions across the country.

In the most recent year for which data is available, approximately 277 students majoring in communication and media studies graduated from U-M. Students who graduate from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor’s communication and media studies program have a starting salary that is $11,646 higher than the national average for recent college graduates in this field.

Cornell University

Cornell University is a large private, non-profit institution in Ithaca, New York. According to Best Colleges, Cornell is one of the best universities in the country. It was ranked #13 out of 2,241 institutions.

The most recent data we have indicates that roughly 99 students earned a degree in communication and media studies from Cornell. Earning a degree in Communication & Media Studies from Cornell University can increase your salary by an average of $9,956 per year.

Villanova University

Villanova University

Villanova is a large private, non-profit university in the sprawling Philadelphia suburb of the same name. Out of 117 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, this one is considered the fourth best.

Approximately 158 students earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from Villanova in the most recent year for which data is available. Graduates of Villanova University’s communication and media studies program earn an average of $8,045 per year more than those with similar degrees from other institutions.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign is home to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), a large public university. In a state with 87 higher education institutions, this one is rated third best.

In the most recent year for which data is available, approximately 327 students majoring in communication and media studies graduated from UIUC. Earning a degree in communication and media studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can increase your salary by about $4,546 per year.

Northwestern University School of Communication (Evanston, IL)

Many of the most prominent people in the world are alumni of Northwestern’s communications program, which has a long history of excellence. Stephen Colbert, Warren Beatty, and Heather Headley, among many others, are all graduates.

Northwestern offers a wide variety of communications concentrations, including the performing arts, designing digital media, speech-language pathology, and more, in contrast to the more traditional concentrations on production, journalism, and broadcasting. Having said that, students at Northwestern can also get a more conventional media education through the school’s communications program.

Dilip Gaonkar, director of Northwestern’s Center for Global Culture and Communication, is a faculty member in the communications program. Tony-winning scenic designer Todd Rosenthal is another. Anna Shapiro is the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre’s director.

University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication (Philadelphia, PA)

University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is an Ivy League institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s University City neighborhood. For 2020, UPenn received national rankings of #8 from US News & World Report and #6 from Washington Monthly.

Students majoring in communications will find an abundance of useful resources at UPenn. The Annenberg Communications program funds over a dozen research centers and labs open to both students and faculty. The Annenberg Public Policy Center is one of these institutions because of the important role it plays in educating journalists, aspiring content creators, and policymakers about the role media plays in their respective fields.

The University of Pennsylvania is well-suited to students interested in communications because of its central location in Philadelphia. Annenberg Creative gives students the opportunity to learn about topics like podcasting, virtual reality, and storytelling.

DePaul University College of Communication (Chicago, IL)

The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System honored Radio DePaul as the 2020 Best College Station in the Nation. Students at DePaul University, home to one of the best communication studies programs in the country, run this radio station. In 2016, the College Association Pinnacle Award was given to Radio DePaul’s podcast, simply titled The Radio DePaul Podcast.

The DePaulia is another exciting opportunity for students to get involved in at DePaul University besides Radio DePaul. A weekly newspaper published by communications majors and also available online during the academic year. Students will find that the newspaper’s coverage of news, sports, the arts, and politics is identical to that of a professional publication.

Many prominent media organizations have hired graduates of DePaul’s communications program, including MSNBC, Deloitte, Accenture, and others.

Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications (Syracuse, NY)

Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

The Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries at the Newhouse School of Public Communications is one of the most exciting programs at any communications school. One of the main goals of this unique major is to prepare students for careers in the music industry. Internships in the music industry are available to students at Bandier, and graduates have access to the school’s extensive alumni network.

The Newhouse School is home to one of the best journalism programs in the country, and not just because of the Bandier program. The program, formally known as “Broadcast and Digital Journalism,” teaches students how to create broadcasts, report on current events, and even create basic videos. Six different categories at the Mark of Excellence Awards, presented by the Society of Professional Journalists, were won by Newhouse students.

Newhouse also offers a distinguished Graphic Design degree program. Students are exposed to the worlds of print, media, and cutting-edge forms of communication like augmented reality and voice-driven products in this award-winning course. In 2019, Emm Comtois graduated and is now a user experience (UX) designer for Amazon Alexa, making her one of the most prominent graduates of the program.

Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC)

Students interested in communications studies can enroll in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The other two majors in the Communications Department are Studio Communication, Debate, and Filmmaking. Student-run films, college-produced documentaries, and daily news broadcasts (called “The Wake Take”) can all be found on “Wake Studios,” a YouTube channel maintained by students in the communication department.

The debate team is organized and run by communications majors, and every fall they host the Franklin R. Shirley Classic College Debate Tournament. Universities from all over the United States converge on Wake Forest for this annual event. This nationally acclaimed debate tournament is named after the person responsible for establishing the communications program at WFU.

The communications department at Wake Forest University is home to the school’s documentary film program. Master’s degree students at this institution study cinematography, production, storytelling, and other aspects of the filmmaking process in order to learn how to make compelling documentaries. This program’s alumna Hillary Pierce has shown her work at the Sundance Film Festival.

Boston University College of Communication (Boston, MA)

Boston University College of Communication

The Boston University College of Communications awards the Bachelor of Science degree with a wide range of specializations in the field of communications. Boston University is located on the banks of the Charles River, and its students have access to urban opportunities in a city teeming with professional media companies.

Boston University’s strong reputation in the communications industry makes it a top choice for students interested in studying in this field. At Boston University, communications majors can specialize in areas like advertising, media, film and television, and public relations.

This school’s emphasis on practical training makes it a strong contender among the top communication programs. WTBU, a student-run radio station in New York City, was named College Station of the Year at this year’s College Radio Awards. Located on the third floor of the College of Communications, this twenty-hours-a-day radio station is entirely programmed and operated by students at Boston University.

Students can get some of the most out of their time in the College of Communication’s AdLab and PRLab. Both of these labs are student-run, with a primary goal of giving college students practical experience in the communications industry. AdLab and PRLab provide communications consulting services to businesses and nonprofits in the Boston area, both for profit and non profit, for the purpose of achieving this goal.

University of Missouri-Columbia

Who would have guessed that the first journalism school in the world would open in the middle of the United States? In 1908, Walter Williams opened the school in the sleepy town of Columbia, Missouri. In 1867, he also founded the Missouri Press Association. Both have substantially shaped the modern newspaper industry. Many of our alums have gone on to win prestigious journalism awards at the regional, national, and international levels. Several Missouri alums have gone on to be honored with the Pulitzer Prize and the Silver Anvil. There is a shift occurring in the media. The Missouri Journalism School is ready for anything. The school encourages creative thinking by providing students with access to media labs, entrepreneurship classes, and internships. To adapt to what is sure to be a dynamic workforce, students are urged to learn how to use new technologies, such as social media. Students learn by doing at the school’s nine news outlets (including TV, newspapers, online publications, and a couple of ad and PR agencies), all of which provide them with real-world experience. That certainly qualifies as practical training.

American University

In the realm of mass communication, American University provides ten distinct degree options. Located in a major metropolitan area, this university is a large, private, non-profit institution offering a full four years of study. There were 331 graduates from the field of communication and media in 2020; this included 199 bachelor’s degrees, 126 master’s degrees, 5 doctoral degrees, and 1 certificate.

Savannah College of Art and Design

Because of the limited degree options available to Georgians, Savannah College of Art and Design was established. SCAD, which bills itself as a “University for Creative Careers,” currently offers 40 different programs across 11 different creative schools. These schools include the SCAD School of Fine Arts, SCAD School of Liberal Arts, and SCAD School of Visual Communication. There are more than a hundred majors to choose from, and several of them have to do with communication in one way or another. SCADnow provides a wide variety of degree programs, including a BFA in Dramatic Writing, that can be completed entirely online.

Conclusion

You should now focus your attention on college admissions, as you have a better idea of where to go to study communications. Use AdmissionSight to increase your chances of getting into your top-choice university. Get into the school of your choice with the help of Admissionsight and their team of experts who have been doing this for ten years. Contact our specialists right away to arrange for a free initial consultation.