Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in Minnesota
Ranked by graduate earnings
Gustavus Adolphus College, Metropolitan State University and University of Minnesota-Crookston are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Minnesota by graduate earnings. Gustavus Adolphus College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,074, College Scorecard. Minnesota State University - Mankato, University of Minnesota-Duluth and Winona State University award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Minnesota: 74, 43 and 39 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 27 Minnesota colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 502 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 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,074 | 26 | 77% | $21,607 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,320 | 28 | 44% | — | $34,933 |
| 3 | University of Minnesota-Crookston Crookston Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,458 | 25 | 50% | — | $25,288 |
| 4 | Hamline University Saint Paul Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,201 | 23 | 60% | $20,981 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,279 | 31 | 40% | — | $25,000 |
| 6 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,798 | 74 | 54% | — | $26,000 |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,706 | 43 | 65% | — | $24,182 |
| 8 | Winona State University Winona Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,197 | 39 | 57% | — | $25,250 |
| 9 | Concordia University - Saint Paul Saint Paul Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $46,327 | 2 | 46% | $17,328 | — |
| 10 | College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $45,702 | 19 | 77% | $22,583 | $27,000 |
Top certificate or associate program
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester Public · Certificate | $27,798 | 23 | 29% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Minnesota
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 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato Public | 74 | $39,798 |
| 2 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth Public | 43 | $39,706 |
| 3 | Winona State University Winona Public | 39 | $38,197 |
| 4 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud Public | 31 | $40,279 |
| 5 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul Public | 28 | $46,320 |
| 6 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter Private not-for-profit | 26 | $50,074 |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Crookston Crookston Public | 25 | $42,458 |
| 8 | Hamline University Saint Paul Private not-for-profit | 23 | $42,201 |
| 9 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis Public | 22 | Not reported |
| 10 | College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph Private not-for-profit | 19 | $45,702 |
ShowHide the other 17 Minnesota colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester | Public | 23 |
| Walden University (Online) | Minneapolis | Private for-profit | 21 |
| Bethel University | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Augsburg University | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | Moorhead | Public | 11 |
| Saint Johns University | Collegeville | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Crown College | Saint Bonifacius | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | Moorhead | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| St Catherine University | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Southwest Minnesota State University | Marshall | Public | 7 |
| Bemidji State University | Bemidji | Public | 6 |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Concordia University - Saint Paul | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| North Central University | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in Minnesota
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Minnesota.
Which Minnesota colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+
Minnesota State University - Mankato (74 graduates a year), University of Minnesota-Duluth (43 graduates a year) and Winona State University (39 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Minnesota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 27 Minnesota colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.
What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in Minnesota?+
By graduate earnings, Gustavus Adolphus College leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Minnesota, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,074, College Scorecard. Metropolitan State University and University of Minnesota-Crookston follow. By degrees awarded, Minnesota State University - Mankato is the largest, with 74 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Communication and Media Studies program in Minnesota has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Gustavus Adolphus College tops the list at $50,074. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Minnesota?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Minnesota is $74,790 (median $68,620), across about 8,260 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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card