College Research

CollegesRankingsMajors

2025-26 Rankings

Best Communications Colleges

Our rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics including academic selectivity, institutional resources, and tuition costs.

Note: Tuition costs shown for public universities reflect in-state tuition rates.

Low angle view of Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University against clear Chicago sky.
#1
Northwestern University

Evanston, ILPrivate

8%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,517/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1570

GRADUATION RATE

96%

"Northwestern fuses rigorous academics and Big Ten athletics on a chilly Lake Michigan shore, delivering Chicago's energy without the full urban chaos."

Explore the iconic brick architecture of UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles.
#2
University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CAPrivate

10%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,399/yr

SAT RANGE

1450-1550

GRADUATION RATE

93%

"LA's ambitious private giant where film visionaries, business leaders, and engineers thrive amid urban energy and Trojan pride."

Stunning view of the modern architecture at University of Miami campus, reflecting on the water.
#3
University of Miami

Coral Gables, FLPrivate

19%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$79,230/yr

SAT RANGE

1320-1480

GRADUATION RATE

82%

"At the University of Miami, you'll chase big dreams under palm trees, fueled by 'The U' swagger and endless sunshine in upscale Coral Gables."

The University of Texas Tower against a clear blue sky in Austin, Texas.
#4
27%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$26,526/yr

SAT RANGE

1250-1510

GRADUATION RATE

84%

"Burnt-orange behemoth fueling ambitious minds amid Austin's live music throb and tech surge."

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2026) - All You Need to Know  BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
#5
15%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$20,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1390-1530

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"At UNC Chapel Hill, you'll join America's first public university, where Tar Heel spirit ignites fierce academics amid pine-scented walks and basketball fever in the Research Triangle."

New York University - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
#6
New York University

New York, NYPrivate

9%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$78,914/yr

SAT RANGE

1480-1560

GRADUATION RATE

87%

"NYU catapults you into New York's electric chaos, where aspiring artists, financiers, and global thinkers hustle amid skyscrapers and street performers."

Campaign for BU: Campus Transformed | Bostonia | Boston University
#7
Boston University

Boston, MAPrivate

11%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$80,070/yr

SAT RANGE

1420-1530

GRADUATION RATE

88%

"Boston University's sprawling urban heartbeat thrusts you into Boston's professional whirlwind, blending gritty city ambition with surprising academic intimacy."

University of Michigan - Taubman College
#8
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MIPublic

16%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$32,782/yr

SAT RANGE

1360-1530

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Michigan equips driven undergrads with Big Ten scale and research muscle in a walkable college town that punches above its weight."

Admission to Southern Methodist University • Verto Education
#9
Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TXPrivate

63%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$74,076/yr

SAT RANGE

1340-1490

GRADUATION RATE

82%

"Polish your Dallas dreams at SMU, where Southern charm fuels ambitious careers amid live oaks and skyline views."

About – Division of Research
#10
Texas A & M University-College Station

College Station, TXPublic

57%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1150-1400

GRADUATION RATE

86%

"Gig'em Aggies: A colossal Texas powerhouse where unbreakable traditions and the world's largest student-run military corps forge engineers, leaders, and lifelong networkers."

Views from home. 💚
#11
Michigan State University

East Lansing, MIPublic

85%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$29,001/yr

SAT RANGE

1180-1360

GRADUATION RATE

84%

"The green-blooded giant where Big Ten roars fuel land-grant innovation and endless undergrad energy."

Category:University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wikimedia Commons
#12
45%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,406/yr

SAT RANGE

1380-1520

GRADUATION RATE

89%

"At UW-Madison, you'll dive into a massive lakeside research engine fueled by Badger loyalty, where Big Ten weekends collide with cutting-edge labs in America's quirkiest state capital."

Villanova University Tours - Book Now | Expedia
#13
Villanova University

Villanova, PAPrivate

27%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$78,462/yr

SAT RANGE

1395-1510

GRADUATION RATE

89%

"Philly suburb's spirited Augustinian hub where hoops frenzy meets service-driven ambition on a polished Main Line campus."

Ohio State University Health Sciences Center for Global Health - Wikipedia
#14
61%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$26,263/yr

SAT RANGE

1310-1480

GRADUATION RATE

83%

"At The Ohio State University, you'll dive into Big Ten bigness—endless opportunities in a sea of scarlet-and-gray Buckeye spirit, where football Saturdays eclipse everything else."

Texas Christian University | Private, Research, Liberal Arts | Britannica
#15
Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TXPrivate

44%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$70,590/yr

SAT RANGE

1140-1350

GRADUATION RATE

82%

"TCU turns Fort Worth's cowboy grit and Big 12 energy into a spirited launchpad where faith-curious Horned Frogs chase big dreams with Southern swagger."

Programs & Courses | University of Florida
#16
University of Florida

Gainesville, FLPublic

24%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$16,597/yr

SAT RANGE

1320-1480

GRADUATION RATE

90%

"Florida's massive flagship where gator football roars blend with powerhouse engineering, agriculture, and business programs in humid Gainesville."

Trustees committee advances five-year University capital plan | Penn State  University
#17
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PAPublic

61%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$34,330/yr

SAT RANGE

1240-1420

GRADUATION RATE

86%

"At Penn State University Park, you'll dive into the thunderous heartbeat of a massive land-grant powerhouse where Nittany Lion pride fuels everything from football frenzies to world-changing research."

Howard University hits record for HBCU research funding - Axios Washington  D.C.
#18
Howard University

Washington, DCPrivate

41%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$47,727/yr

SAT RANGE

1090-1320

GRADUATION RATE

64%

"Howard University, the capstone of HBCUs, immerses you in Black excellence amid Washington's power corridors, forging leaders who shape history."

Panoramic view of Syracuse, New York skyline above Onondaga Lake during fall.
#19
Syracuse University

Syracuse, NYPrivate

46%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$77,628/yr

SAT RANGE

1270-1440

GRADUATION RATE

83%

"Snow-blanketed powerhouse where communications wizards sharpen skills amid rabid basketball fandom and Greek life energy."

Fordham University
#20
Fordham University

Bronx, NYPrivate

59%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$81,010/yr

SAT RANGE

1320-1480

GRADUATION RATE

82%

"Fordham blends Jesuit soul-searching with New York City's relentless energy across its split-personality campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan."