Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in Massachusetts
Ranked by graduate earnings
Boston College, Northeastern University and Boston University are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Massachusetts by graduate earnings. Boston College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $55,162, College Scorecard. Boston College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Northeastern University award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Massachusetts: 202, 185 and 153 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 42 Massachusetts colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 1,370 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston College Chestnut Hill Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,162 | 202 | 91% | $21,126 | $18,500 |
| 2 | Northeastern University Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,465 | 153 | 91% | $18,925 | $23,250 |
| 3 | Boston University Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,349 | 55 | 89% | $21,956 | $25,108 |
| 4 | Emerson College Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,108 | 64 | 77% | $40,982 | $23,953 |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts-Boston Boston Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,480 | 58 | 49% | — | $26,500 |
| 6 | Stonehill College Easton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,543 | 24 | 76% | $24,000 | $25,000 |
| 7 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,380 | 185 | 83% | — | $25,125 |
| 8 | Worcester State University Worcester Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,235 | 32 | 61% | — | $23,250 |
| 9 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,146 | 107 | 53% | — | $26,848 |
| 10 | Westfield State University Westfield Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,134 | 31 | 54% | — | $26,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Massachusetts
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston College Chestnut Hill Private not-for-profit | 202 | $55,162 |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst Public | 185 | $36,380 |
| 3 | Northeastern University Boston Private not-for-profit | 153 | $47,465* |
| 4 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater Public | 107 | $34,146 |
| 5 | Merrimack College North Andover Private not-for-profit | 76 | $29,527 |
| 6 | Emerson College Boston Private not-for-profit | 64 | $44,108 |
| 7 | University of Massachusetts-Boston Boston Public | 58 | $42,480 |
| 8 | Boston University Boston Private not-for-profit | 55 | $47,349 |
| 9 | Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston Private not-for-profit | 39 | $47,465* |
| 10 | Worcester State University Worcester Public | 32 | $34,235 |
ShowHide the other 32 Massachusetts colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westfield State University | Westfield | Public | 31 |
| Curry College | Milton | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Stonehill College | Easton | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Dean College | Franklin | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Gordon College | Wenham | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Lasell University | Newton | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Regis College | Weston | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Clark University | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Emmanuel College | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Bunker Hill Community College | Boston | Public | 17 |
| Bristol Community College | Fall River | Public | 16 |
| Salem State University | Salem | Public | 16 |
| Fisher College | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Suffolk University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Endicott College | Beverly | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | North Dartmouth | Public | 12 |
| Cape Cod Community College | West Barnstable | Public | 11 |
| Simmons University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Public | 9 |
| Assumption University | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg | Public | 8 |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College | Wellesley Hills | Public | 8 |
| Springfield College | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Massasoit Community College | Brockton | Public | 7 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams | Public | 6 |
| Western New England University | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Public | 5 |
| Bentley University | Waltham | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Anna Maria College | Paxton | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Hampshire College | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Public | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in Massachusetts
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Massachusetts.
Which Massachusetts colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+
Boston College (202 graduates a year), University of Massachusetts-Amherst (185 graduates a year) and Northeastern University (153 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Massachusetts, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 42 Massachusetts colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.
What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in Massachusetts?+
By graduate earnings, Boston College leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Massachusetts, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $55,162, College Scorecard. Northeastern University and Boston University follow. By degrees awarded, Boston College is the largest, with 202 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Communication and Media Studies program in Massachusetts has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Boston College tops the list at $55,162. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Massachusetts?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Massachusetts is $90,400 (median $79,660), across about 6,760 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Communication and Media Studies program?+
The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, speaking, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Public Relations Specialists?+
The national job outlook is about +4.8% growth with around 27,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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