Utah · Communication and Media Studies

Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in Utah

Ranked by graduate earnings

Brigham Young University, University of Utah and Weber State University are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Utah by graduate earnings. Brigham Young University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,747, College Scorecard. University of Utah, Ensign College and Southern Utah University award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Utah: 298, 292 and 126 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 11 Utah colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 1,166 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…

Institutions
11
offering CIP 09.01
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,166
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$37,574
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
8
College Scorecard
Median net price
$13,712
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
52%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Public Relations Specialists
$74,170
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 8 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Brigham Young University
Provo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,7477281%$13,712$22,530
2University of Utah
Salt Lake City Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,80129865%—$18,017
3Weber State University
Ogden Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,20911346%—$16,566
4Utah State University
Logan Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,5746159%—$14,750
5Southern Utah University
Cedar City Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,95112661%—$13,900
6Utah Tech University
Saint George Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,81510838%—$20,500
7Utah Valley University
Orem Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$44,202145%—$14,200
8Westminster University
Salt Lake City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$33,6491064%$23,154$24,454

Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Utah

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Utah
Salt Lake City Public
298$43,801
2Ensign College
Salt Lake City Private not-for-profit
292Not reported
3Southern Utah University
Cedar City Public
126$32,951
4Weber State University
Ogden Public
113$43,209
5Utah Tech University
Saint George Public
108$32,815
6Brigham Young University
Provo Private not-for-profit
72$46,747
7Utah State University
Logan Public
61$37,574
8Snow College
Ephraim Public
42Not reported
9Westminster University
Salt Lake City Private not-for-profit
10$33,649
10Utah Valley University
Orem Public
1$44,202
Show the other 1 Utah colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake CityPublic43

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~27,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$69,780
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingWritingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Public Relations Specialists earn in Utah

Jobs in Utah
1,800
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$74,170
median $62,670
Best-paying metro
$77,290
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT

Related careers

Public Relations Specialists
$74,170 avg · 1,800 jobs
Fundraisers
$67,740 avg · 920 jobs
Editors
$73,400 avg · 590 jobs
Public Relations Managers
$148,790 avg · 580 jobs
Writers and Authors
$71,670 avg · 410 jobs
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
$77,340 avg · 240 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Utah.

Which Utah colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+

University of Utah (298 graduates a year), Ensign College (292 graduates a year) and Southern Utah University (126 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Utah, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 11 Utah colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.

What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in Utah?+

By graduate earnings, Brigham Young University leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Utah, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,747, College Scorecard. University of Utah and Weber State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Utah is the largest, with 298 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Communication and Media Studies program in Utah has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Brigham Young University tops the list at $46,747. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Utah?+

The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Utah is $74,170 (median $62,670), across about 1,800 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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