Communications and Media Degree Programs

Only two other schools on our list scored better in the graduation rate category than our No. 1 school, and that's not the only attractive feature that the University of Oregon has to offer. It also had one of the highest concentrations of communication and media students among schools in our top ten, with approximately one in ten 2015 graduates earning a degree in the field.

The School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon offers undergraduate majors and minors in advertising, media studies, public relations and more, each with a different approach to the study of communication and media. Students who have already earned their bachelor's can pursue graduate certificates in communication ethics or new media and culture, as well as full master's degrees in strategic communication, media studies and journalism.

The graduation rate at the University of Colorado Boulder differed from that of our No. 1 school by just one tenth of a percentage point, and its admission rate was the fourth-highest among institutions that made our top ten. The northern Colorado school also offers alternative tuition payment plans and career services for students and graduates.

The array of degrees and certificates in communication and media at UC Boulder is vast, covering numerous aspects of the discipline and multiple academic levels. Programs include Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in communication, media studies and media production and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in information science and strategic communication.

Instructional expenses like course development and in-classroom tech can be the difference between an ordinary education and one that's truly on the cutting edge, and the State University of New York's College at Plattsburgh leads all schools in our top ten by committing 54 percent of its annual budget to these and similar essentials. SUNY Plattsburgh was also one of the more affordable schools on our list, ranking above all but three other institutions in that category.

Degrees in communication studies, multimedia journalism and digital media production are all available for undergrads at SUNY Plattsburgh. Each degree can be earned on either a B.A. or B.S. track. Graduate certificates in multimedia journalism and professional writing are available as well.

Flexibility was a key metric at the flagship campus of Ohio University, where busy students have the option to earn certain degrees exclusively through courses that meet at night and on the weekends. The Athens, Ohio, institution is also a top destination for students seeking online communication and media degrees, thanks to its extensive catalog of distance education courses and a B.S. in applied communication that's available entirely online.

The diverse selection of degree programs at Ohio University includes information design, organizational communication, public advocacy and photojournalism, among others. The School of Media Arts and Studies offers a few especially modern study plans, including an undergraduate certificate in social media studies and a bachelor's emphasis in media and social change.

No other school on our list had a higher graduation rate than this East Lansing institution, which reports that approximately eight out of ten students who were expected to graduate in 2015 flipped their tassel at commencement. Michigan State University is also the largest school to make our top ten, awarding just shy of 12,000 degrees in 2015, so it could be a good choice for students who like the feel of a big university.

Four-year bachelor's degrees in advertising creative, advertising management, journalism and more anchor the list of programs at MSU. Enrolled students who decide they want to pursue advanced degrees have some interesting options here, as well: linked bachelor's-master's degrees in advertising and communication that take only three semesters more than a standard undergraduate program.

Murray State University took our list's top spot for affordability, charging students an average 2015 total of just over $7,600 for tuition and fees. It also had the highest admissions rate among our best colleges for communication and media degree programs, granting enrollment to more than 90 percent of applicants in 2015.

While there may not be any fully online degrees for communication and media students at Murray State, you're likely to be able to craft a comfortable hybrid program by tapping into a substantial list of individual online courses. You won't be alone in the virtual classroom, either -- just three other schools in our top ten reported a larger percentage of distance education enrollment than this Kentucky institution.

Communication and media students who prefer a close-knit educational environment might find what they're looking for at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. This campus location near the state's western border boasts a modest student body of around 5,500 undergraduates and sits just a half-hour away from the Twin Cities of neighboring Minnesota.

Communication and media degrees at UW-River Falls are divided into three distinct approaches to the discipline. Journalism majors concentrate on the communication of facts to mass audiences, while communication studies majors examine interpersonal and intercultural discourse and marketing communication majors learn how to precisely target their methods and messages to more effectively persuade various audiences.

Students on the hunt for online communication and media degrees would be well-served to include the downtown Phoenix location of Arizona State University in their search. Not only do nearly 60 percent of students at the downtown campus take at least some of their courses online, but the institution's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a B.A. in mass communication and media studies that can be earned without ever setting foot in a traditional classroom.

ASU's downtown Phoenix campus also offers a few study plans that are somewhat uncommon among communication and media schools. Undergraduates can pursue a B.A. that focuses on sports journalism, and an available minor in media analysis can help you learn to better interpret and evaluate mass messaging.

The spending numbers on record for University of Northern Iowa suggest a firm commitment to investing in student success. Nearly two thirds of the Cedar Falls school's annual budget is earmarked for academic reinvestment, with 50 percent going to instructional expenses and an additional 13 set aside for academic support activities like counseling, advising and tutoring services.

A range of undergraduate majors can be found in the catalog of communication and media degree programs at UNI, including a marketing degree that focuses on advertising and digital media and an interdisciplinary major in interactive digital studies that breaks new ground in the study of the modern New Media environment. A specialized major in political communication is also offered, in conjunction with the school's department of political science.

This medium-sized school in Morgantown, West Virginia, took the last spot in our top ten in part on the strength of high marks in affordability. Its $7,632 average cost of tuition and fees in 2015 landed it the No. 2 spot in that category in a close contest. West Virginia University also put up impressive marks for flexibility, thanks to alternative tuition payment plans and placement services for alumni.

Communications students at WVU are treated to an undergraduate curriculum that features courses in theater, radio and animation production alongside study of journalism, copywriting and public relations. Those interested in a more interpersonal approach to communications can try the B.A. in communication studies, which has emphases in organizational communication and social media.