Best colleges for communications and journalism
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in communication, journalism, or a related field, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for communications and journalism1,238 schools
1,238 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in communication and journalism, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 3
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 4
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Rhode Island
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 5
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Tennessee
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 6
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 7
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 23%
- 8
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 9
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#2 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 10
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 11
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 12
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Michigan
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- 13
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Missouri
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 11%
- 14
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 15
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 16
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 17Tie
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 17Tie
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 19
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 20
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B
- 21
Emory University
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Georgia
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 22Tie
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 22Tie
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 24
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 25
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Brown University | $25,184 | $11,428 | $93,487 | 96% |
| Vanderbilt University | $15,846 | $14,000 | $91,565 | 94% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Duke University | $29,612 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| Claremont McKenna College | $28,849 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| Cornell University | $28,690 | $14,000 | $104,043 | 95% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| Hillsdale College | — | — | — | 90% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | $21,786 | $17,500 | $86,182 | 94% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Davidson College | $17,379 | $18,688 | $81,400 | 91% |
| Washington and Lee University | $23,781 | $19,500 | $94,810 | 94% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $11,655 | $14,000 | $72,200 | 91% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $13,138 | $19,500 | $83,648 | 93% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Emory University | $22,585 | $18,250 | $80,137 | 91% |
| University of California-Berkeley | $13,481 | $13,000 | $92,446 | 93% |
| University of Southern California | $32,740 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | $12,116 | $21,672 | $102,772 | 94% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $12,548 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 21
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 9
- Arkansas 18
- California 70
- Colorado 13
- Connecticut 19
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 7
- Florida 39
- Georgia 38
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 6
- Illinois 48
- Indiana 39
- Iowa 25
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 25
- Louisiana 18
- Maine 6
- Maryland 18
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 36
- Minnesota 29
- Mississippi 14
- Missouri 38
- Montana 4
- Nebraska 14
- Nevada 3
- New Hampshire 10
- New Jersey 23
- New Mexico 4
- New York 82
- North Carolina 42
- North Dakota 8
- Ohio 59
- Oklahoma 20
- Oregon 17
- Pennsylvania 90
- Puerto Rico 12
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 25
- South Dakota 6
- Tennessee 29
- Texas 64
- Utah 8
- Vermont 7
- Virginia 34
- Washington 19
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 27