Best colleges for communications and journalism in California
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in communication, journalism, or a related field, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for communications and journalism in California70 schools
70 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- 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
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 3
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 4Tie
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 4Tie
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%
- 6
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%
- 7
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 8
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 9
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 10
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 11
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 12
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 13
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 14
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 15
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 16
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 17
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 18
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 19
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B
- 20
Chapman University
Orange, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 21
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 22
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 23
Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 24
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 25
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | About $14,000 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Pomona College | About $19,000 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Claremont McKenna College | About $29,000 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| University of California-Berkeley | About $13,000 | $13,000 | $92,446 | 93% |
| University of Southern California | About $33,000 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | About $13,000 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
| Harvey Mudd College | About $36,000 | $25,000 | $138,687 | 92% |
| University of California-San Diego | About $12,000 | $15,500 | $84,943 | 86% |
| University of California-Irvine | About $14,000 | $15,000 | $80,735 | 87% |
| Scripps College | About $36,000 | $13,500 | $77,539 | 83% |
| Pitzer College | About $34,000 | $16,750 | $69,512 | 83% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | About $17,000 | $18,500 | $90,768 | 86% |
| Santa Clara University | About $50,000 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | About $16,000 | $13,993 | $74,915 | 83% |
| University of California-Davis | About $15,000 | $13,000 | $80,838 | 86% |
| Loyola Marymount University | About $48,000 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| San Diego State University | About $15,000 | $15,000 | $64,909 | 76% |
| Pepperdine University | About $58,000 | $23,510 | $82,939 | 83% |
| University of San Diego | About $30,000 | $22,940 | $86,522 | 84% |
| Chapman University | About $47,000 | $20,500 | $70,070 | 82% |
| University of the Pacific | About $25,000 | $19,500 | $78,445 | 69% |
| California State University-Long Beach | About $10,000 | $14,289 | $64,403 | 69% |
| Dominican University of California | About $35,000 | $27,000 | $84,713 | 78% |
| University of San Francisco | About $41,000 | $23,000 | $89,812 | 70% |
| Westmont College | About $29,000 | $23,250 | $64,778 | 70% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 21
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 9
- Arkansas 18
- 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