Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Cornell University, Hobart William Smith Colleges and Fordham University are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in New York by graduate earnings. Cornell University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,182, College Scorecard. University at Buffalo, University at Albany and Marist University award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in New York: 288, 180 and 175 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 88 New York colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 3,226 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 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $62,182 | 78 | 95% | $17,613 | $14,418 |
| 2 | Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,750 | 27 | 77% | $22,374 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,405 | 116 | 82% | $38,931 | $25,700 |
| 4 | Manhattan University Riverdale Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,016 | 58 | 64% | $26,807 | $26,000 |
| 5 | CUNY City College New York Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,734 | 73 | 57% | — | $15,827 |
| 6 | Marist University Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,818 | 175 | 80% | $33,867 | $26,000 |
| 7 | SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,070 | 52 | 71% | — | $21,000 |
| 8 | Hofstra University Hempstead Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,782 | 21 | 69% | $34,539 | $25,000 |
| 9 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,749 | 24 | 59% | — | $25,150 |
| 10 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,226 | 288 | 75% | — | $22,251 |
Top 6 certificate and associate programs
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 | Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie Public · Associate degree | $17,585 | 27 | 30% | — | $10,998 |
| 2 | Onondaga Community College Syracuse Public · Associate degree | $29,915 | 24 | 27% | — | $11,833 |
| 3 | Nassau Community College Garden City Public · Associate degree | $29,016 | 35 | 23% | — | $11,000 |
| 4 | Monroe Community College Rochester Public · Associate degree Small program | $27,123 | 13 | 27% | — | $9,750 |
| 5 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York Public · Associate degree | $26,437 | 52 | 25% | — | $8,643 |
| 6 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College Long Island City Public · Associate degree Small program | $23,307 | 17 | 24% | — | $8,511 |
Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in New York
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 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public | 288 | $39,226 |
| 2 | University at Albany Albany Public | 180 | $30,792 |
| 3 | Marist University Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit | 175 | $41,818 |
| 4 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 153 | $29,054 |
| 5 | Pace University New York Private not-for-profit | 148 | $35,992 |
| 6 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit | 116 | $46,405 |
| 7 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 107 | $36,767 |
| 8 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York Public | 93 | $36,367 |
| 9 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta Public | 83 | $27,973 |
| 10 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | 78 | $62,182 |
ShowHide the other 78 New York colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+
University at Buffalo (288 graduates a year), University at Albany (180 graduates a year) and Marist University (175 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 88 New York colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.
What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Cornell University leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,182, College Scorecard. Hobart William Smith Colleges and Fordham University follow. By degrees awarded, University at Buffalo is the largest, with 288 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Communication and Media Studies program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Cornell University tops the list at $62,182. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in New York is $95,760 (median $81,250), across about 28,250 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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