Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in Ohio
Ranked by graduate earnings
Denison University, University of Dayton and Ohio State University are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. Denison University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $47,396, College Scorecard. Ohio State University, Ohio University and University of Cincinnati award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Ohio: 452, 306 and 207 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 54 Ohio colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 1,878 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 | Denison University Granville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,396 | 50 | 79% | $23,864 | $25,187 |
| 2 | University of Dayton Dayton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,629 | 163 | 80% | $28,560 | $25,375 |
| 3 | Ohio State University Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,232 | 452 | 88% | — | $23,500 |
| 4 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,138 | 207 | 75% | — | $23,816 |
| 5 | John Carroll University University Heights Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,072 | 36 | 79% | $25,705 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Ohio University Athens Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,666 | 306 | 65% | — | $24,063 |
| 7 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,804 | 122 | 64% | — | $26,000 |
| 8 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,959 | 56 | 80% | — | $21,500 |
| 9 | Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,991 | 21 | 75% | $21,122 | $24,953 |
| 10 | Wright State University Dayton Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,171 | 28 | 42% | — | $26,000 |
Top 2 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 | Sinclair Community College Dayton Public · Associate degree | $32,284 | 24 | 41% | — | $11,944 |
| 2 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College Blue Ash Public · Associate degree Small program | $38,767 | 18 | 16% | — | $17,922 |
Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Ohio
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 | Ohio State University Columbus Public | 452 | $41,232 |
| 2 | Ohio University Athens Public | 306 | $36,666 |
| 3 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public | 207 | $41,138 |
| 4 | University of Dayton Dayton Private not-for-profit | 163 | $42,629 |
| 5 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public | 122 | $35,804 |
| 6 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public | 56 | $34,959 |
| 7 | Denison University Granville Private not-for-profit | 50 | $47,396 |
| 8 | University of Toledo Toledo Public | 48 | $30,591 |
| 9 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public | 38 | Not reported |
| 10 | Cleveland State University Cleveland Public | 38 | $29,618 |
ShowHide the other 44 Ohio colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Carroll University | University Heights | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| Ashland University | Ashland | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Wright State University | Dayton | Public | 28 |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Sinclair Community College | Dayton | Public | 24 |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | Steubenville | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| The College of Wooster | Wooster | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | Blue Ash | Public | 18 |
| Otterbein University | Westerville | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green | Public | 11 |
| Heidelberg University | Tiffin | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Miami University - Hamilton | Hamilton | Public | 11 |
| Ohio University - Lancaster Campus | Lancaster | Public | 11 |
| Wittenberg University | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Youngstown State University | Youngstown | Public | 8 |
| Hiram College | Hiram | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Marietta College | Marietta | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Muskingum University | New Concord | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Walsh University | North Canton | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Bluffton University | Bluffton | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Lake Erie College | Painesville | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Capital University | Columbus | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Mount St. Joseph University | Cincinnati | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Stark State College | North Canton | Public | 4 |
| Tiffin University | Tiffin | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Defiance College | Defiance | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Wilberforce University | Wilberforce | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| University of Cincinnati-Clermont College | Batavia | Public | 2 |
| Lorain County Community College | Elyria | Public | 2 |
| Miami University - Middletown | Middletown | Public | 2 |
| Ohio University - Eastern Campus | Saint Clairsville | Public | 2 |
| Ohio University - Zanesville Campus | Zanesville | Public | 2 |
| Owens Community College | Perrysburg | Public | 2 |
| Shawnee State University | Portsmouth | Public | 2 |
| Terra State Community College | Fremont | Public | 2 |
| Wilmington College | Wilmington | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| The University of Findlay | Findlay | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Ohio University - Chillicothe Campus | Chillicothe | Public | 1 |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande | 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 Ohio
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Ohio.
Which Ohio colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+
Ohio State University (452 graduates a year), Ohio University (306 graduates a year) and University of Cincinnati (207 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 54 Ohio colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.
What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in Ohio?+
By graduate earnings, Denison University leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $47,396, College Scorecard. University of Dayton and Ohio State University follow. By degrees awarded, Ohio State University is the largest, with 452 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Communication and Media Studies program in Ohio has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Denison University tops the list at $47,396. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Ohio?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Ohio is $74,520 (median $64,840), across about 6,670 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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