2023 Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region
Finding the Best Communication & Journalism School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, communication and journalism was ranked #11 in the country. In fact 120,571 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This report analyzed 82 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region
Check out the communication and journalism programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 15% Best Communication & Journalism Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Santa Clara University the best school in the Far Western US Region for communication and journalism students. Located in the midsize city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population.
While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at SCU accumulate an average of around $18,250 in student debt.
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Out of the 82 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the # 2 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley.
On average, communication and journalism graduates from UC Berkeley take out $12,207 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $328.
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The excellent programs at University of California - Santa Barbara helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best communication and journalism schools in the Far Western US Region . UCSB is a very large public school located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara.
The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at UCSB take out is $13,921. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $322.
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The excellent programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best communication and journalism schools in the Far Western US Region . Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.
Communication & Journalism majors at USC take out an average of $18,543 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $505.
Full Communication & Journalism at University of Southern California Report
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo.
Communication & Journalism majors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo take out an average of $16,719 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $310.
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University of California - Davis came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UC Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis.
After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from UC Davis carry an average student debtload of $13,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $268.
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Stanford University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the large suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Full Communication & Journalism at Stanford University Report
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Pepperdine University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best communication and journalism programs. Located in the large suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
On average, communication and journalism graduates from Pepperdine take out $23,688 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $511.
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With a ranking of #9, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on this year’s best schools for communication and journalism students. Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that communication and journalism majors at UW Seattle take out is $16,680. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $224, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Communication & Journalism at University of Washington - Seattle Campus Report
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University of Washington - Tacoma Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UW Tacoma is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Tacoma.
While working on their degree, communication and journalism majors at UW Tacoma accumulate an average of around $16,680 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $224, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Loyola Marymount University landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best communication and journalism programs. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Communication & Journalism majors at Loyola Marymount take out an average of $21,697 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $674, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Gonzaga University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the city of Spokane, Gonzaga is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
After completing their degree, communication and journalism graduates from Gonzaga carry an average student debtload of $26,342.
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Far Western US Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA |
| 14 | University of Washington - Bothell Campus | Bothell, WA |
| 15 | Westmont College | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 16 | Seattle University | Seattle, WA |
Best Communication & Journalism Colleges by State
Explore the best communication and journalism colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| California | 17,589 |
| Washington | 2,086 |
| Oregon | 1,375 |
| Hawaii | 292 |
| Nevada | 523 |
| Alaska | 30 |
More Communication & Journalism Rankings in the Far Western US Region
Related Programs
Learn about other programs related to Communication & Journalism that might interest you.
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Communication & Journalism Related Rankings by Major
Communication & Journalism Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Communication & Media Studies | 66,787 |
| Public Relations & Advertising | 21,099 |
| Radio, Television & Digital Communication | 17,669 |
| Journalism | 13,552 |
| Communication & Journalism (Other) | 1,128 |
| Publishing | 336 |
Majors Similar to Communication & Journalism
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Education | 327,871 |
| Social Sciences | 205,984 |
| Psychology | 195,678 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 55,820 |
| History | 32,731 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Josh Hallett.
More about our data sources and methodologies.