Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in communication, journalism, or a related field, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania90 schools
90 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- 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
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 2
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 3
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 4
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B
- 5
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 6
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 7
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 8
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 9
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 10
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- 11
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 12
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B
- 13
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B
- 14
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 15
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 16
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 17
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 18
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 19
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 20
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 21
Moravian University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade C+
- 22
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 23
Central Penn College
Summerdale, PA · Private for-profitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 24
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in communication and journalism
- Value grade B-
- 25
Marywood University
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Lehigh University | $36,931 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $30,434 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $32,875 | $25,000 | $63,435 | 86% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Drexel University | $38,509 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Susquehanna University | $28,819 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Messiah University | $26,502 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
| Thomas Jefferson University | $28,928 | $14,744 | $77,449 | 69% |
| Immaculata University | $24,258 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Moravian University | $30,670 | $26,793 | $61,860 | 72% |
| Elizabethtown College | $26,598 | $27,000 | $62,399 | 76% |
| Central Penn College | $18,953 | $23,194 | $45,370 | 51% |
| Juniata College | $23,988 | $27,000 | $56,918 | 74% |
| Marywood University | $23,388 | $26,186 | $55,817 | 72% |
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
- 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
- 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