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CIP 09.0102 Communication and Journalism

Mass Communication/Media Studies

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

8,687

2025 · 299 schools

International share

4.8%

418 international students

Bachelor's degrees

7,220

3.6% international

Master's degrees

1,074

8.8% international

Overview

Mass Communication/Media Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the various ways in which media impacts society and culture. This major encompasses a wide range of topics, including journalism, public relations, advertising, film, digital media, and communication theory. Students in this program typically examine the roles and functions of media in shaping public opinion, influencing behavior, and reflecting cultural values.

The curriculum often includes courses in media history, media ethics, media law, and audience analysis, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the media landscape. Practical skills are also emphasized, with opportunities for hands-on experience in writing, editing, video production, and digital content creation. Students may engage in internships and projects that allow them to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, preparing them for various careers in the media industry.

Graduates of Mass Communication/Media Studies are well-equipped for diverse roles, such as journalists, media analysts, public relations specialists, marketing professionals, and content creators. The rise of digital media has expanded career opportunities in areas like social media management, multimedia storytelling, and digital marketing.

Overall, this major not only fosters critical thinking and effective communication skills but also encourages students to analyze media's role in society critically. As media continues to evolve with technology, the relevance of Mass Communication/Media Studies remains significant, making it a valuable field of study for those interested in understanding and shaping the future of communication.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2003 to 2025, graduates grew 31% and the international share went from 4.8% to 4.8%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
51.2%
Asian
4.8%
Hispanic
14.7%
Black
16.9%
Other
7.6%
Intl.
4.8%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 299 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts 2 0
#16 Brown University Rhode Island 31 7
#20 University of California-Berkeley California 278 33
#26 University of Virginia-Main Campus Virginia 106 3
#27 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina 409 18
#34 University of Florida Florida 281 18
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 39 1
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 5 2
#52 University of Georgia Georgia 21 1
#55 The Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania 60 14
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 22 4
#59 Stony Brook University New York 37 1
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 66 0
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 20 1
#72 Syracuse University New York 15 7
#73 Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana 491 22
#80 Drexel University Pennsylvania 11 6
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 2 0
#90 Marquette University Wisconsin 2 0
#95 American University D.C. 78 2
#95 Rochester Institute of Technology New York 9 1
#100 Auburn University Alabama 21 1
#100 Florida International University Florida 89 13
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 75 9
#100 Elon University North Carolina 11 0
#109 University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 52 3
#109 Temple University Pennsylvania 102 6
#109 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Tennessee 113 4
#116 University of San Francisco California 32 1
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 3 1
#116 University of Oregon Oregon 29 7
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 72 5
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 22 3
#121 University of Arizona Arizona 12 0
#121 University of Denver Colorado 9 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 114 5
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 56 10
#137 San Diego State University California 14 1
#137 University of Maryland-Baltimore County Maryland 57 3
#137 Clarkson University New York 6 0
#148 California State University-Los Angeles California 6 1
#148 Catholic University of America D.C. 14 0
#148 Mercer University Georgia 6 0
#148 University of Kansas Kansas 6 4
#156 Quinnipiac University Connecticut 45 0
#156 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia 218 0
#169 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Colorado 1 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 105 0
#179 CUNY Hunter College New York 153 7
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 107 9
#191 Hofstra University New York 18 2
#191 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Oklahoma 15 4
#191 Washington State University Washington 47 2
#202 Sacred Heart University Connecticut 17 2
#202 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana 332 4
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 9 1
#208 University of La Verne California 10 0
#208 University of North Carolina at Greensboro North Carolina 58 0
#208 Belmont University Tennessee 5 0
#219 Illinois State University Illinois 47 0
#219 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indiana 5 0
#219 North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina 121 1
#227 The New School New York 66 7
#227 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 73 1
#236 University of Nevada--Las Vegas Nevada 101 0
#250 Pace University-New York New York 123 5
#250 South Dakota State University South Dakota 8 0
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 60 3
#262 University of Maine Maine 7 1
#262 Suffolk University Massachusetts 15 5
#262 University of South Dakota South Dakota 24 0
#276 University of St. Francis Illinois 6 0
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 1 0
#288 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Illinois 6 0
#288 University of Memphis Tennessee 73 1
#288 Texas State University Texas 79 2
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 60 2
#299 Azusa Pacific University California 12 0
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 6 0
#308 Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri 13 0
#308 North Carolina Central University North Carolina 38 0
#317 Xavier University of Louisiana Louisiana 32 1
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 16 2
#317 Emory & Henry University Virginia 12 0
#328 East Tennessee State University Tennessee 72 5
#332 Jacksonville University Florida 6 0
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 5 0
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 23 1
#353 Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville Illinois 66 6
#353 University of Louisiana--Lafayette Louisiana 14 0
#353 Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee 1 0
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 18 0
#365 Jackson State University Mississippi 31 1
#376 Concordia University-Saint Paul Minnesota 2 0
#382 Southeastern University Florida 26 2
#382 Valdosta State University Georgia 40 0
#382 Governors State University Illinois 11 0
#382 Southern University and A&M College Louisiana 28 1
#382 University of Southern Maine Maine 18 0
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 7 0
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 28 1
#382 Texas Southern University Texas 15 0
#382 Texas Wesleyan University Texas 12 1
LAC #3 Claremont McKenna College California 12 3
LAC #3 Pomona College California 14 0
LAC #12 Vassar College New York 18 2
LAC #31 Denison University Ohio 50 9
LAC #38 Scripps College California 23 2
LAC #38 Trinity University Texas 39 0
LAC #44 Pitzer College California 18 0
LAC #49 DePauw University Indiana 7 2
LAC #60 Hobart and William Smith Colleges New York 27 2
LAC #62 Berea College Kentucky 13 0
LAC #62 Muhlenberg College Pennsylvania 30 0
LAC #74 Principia College Illinois 7 3
LAC #85 Allegheny College Pennsylvania 2 0
LAC #85 Susquehanna University Pennsylvania 1 0
LAC #91 College of Wooster Ohio 5 0
LAC #91 Juniata College Pennsylvania 5 0
LAC #91 Ursinus College Pennsylvania 28 0
LAC #97 Washington College Maryland 10 0
LAC #97 Austin College Texas 4 0
LAC #116 Saint Michael's College Vermont 13 0
LAC #119 Meredith College North Carolina 8 0
LAC #128 SUNY at Purchase College New York 11 0
LAC #132 Saint Norbert College Wisconsin 15 0
LAC #140 Alcorn State University Mississippi 12 0
LAC #146 Oglethorpe University Georgia 8 1
LAC #146 Claflin University South Carolina 15 0
LAC #150 Dillard University Louisiana 13 0
LAC #154 University of North Carolina Asheville North Carolina 32 0
LAC #157 Randolph College Virginia 2 0
LAC #165 Bridgewater College Virginia 20 0
LAC #166 Fort Valley State University Georgia 16 0
LAC #177 Grambling State University Louisiana 46 1
LAC #178 Tougaloo College Mississippi 9 0
LAC #181 Bethune-Cookman University Florida 16 0
LAC #184 Indiana University-Southeast Indiana 11 0
LAC #184 Lane College Tennessee 12 0
LAC #184 Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texas 14 0
LAC #184 Utah Tech University Utah 16 1
LAC #184 West Virginia State University West Virginia 1 0
— Arizona State University Digital Immersion Arizona 206 0
— University of Washington-Bothell Campus Washington 79 8
— University of West Florida Florida 78 1
— Sam Houston State University Texas 67 0
— Virginia State University Virginia 53 0
— CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York 52 4
— Iona University New York 52 1
— Stephen F. Austin State University Texas 51 0
— Middle Tennessee State University Tennessee 50 4
— CUNY Lehman College New York 49 1
— Winston-Salem State University North Carolina 49 0
— CUNY Queens College New York 46 1
— UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey New Jersey 39 1
— University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Washington 39 0
— Marist University New York 34 0
— Community College of Philadelphia Pennsylvania 34 1
— Worcester State University Massachusetts 32 0
— University of Massachusetts Global California 32 0
— LIM College New York 31 0
— Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 28 0
— Austin Peay State University Tennessee 27 0
— Delaware State University Delaware 26 0
— Lindenwood University Missouri 26 1
— University of North Carolina at Pembroke North Carolina 26 0
— Winona State University Minnesota 25 1
— Washburn University Kansas 24 3
— University of North Alabama Alabama 23 2
— Florida State College at Jacksonville Florida 23 0
— Dean College Massachusetts 23 0
— State University of New York at New Paltz New York 23 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Editors 91,690 $43.30 $90,060
Public Relations Managers 74,850 $79.21 $164,760
Writers and Authors 47,940 $41.39 $86,090
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists 39,250 $49.26 $102,460
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary 29,420 — $90,010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2003–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.