By major · Communication
Where can your student actually get into communication?
68 colleges in California report a communication program, and the campuses do not all call it the same thing: communications at one, speech communication at another, media studies at a third. The gates behind those names are far apart — UC Berkeley reported 1,189 first-year applicants to media studies and 72 admits, a rate of 6%, while Cal State Stanislaus admitted all 33 students who applied, and Cal Poly SLO sits between them at 311 admits out of 1,083 applicants to speech communication, a rate of 28.7%. Even within the UC system the range is wide: UC Riverside admitted 465 of 524 applicants to media and cultural studies, a rate of 89%. At most UC programs the campus reads the whole application rather than the major, so those rates describe who was admitted to the campus, not a separate door into the major.
At a glance · California
- 68 colleges in California offer a bachelor's communication program: 65 awarded the degree in 2022-23 (federal IPEDS completions); 3 more report a communication admit rate in the UC/CSU data.
- Largest programs by graduates in 2022-23: California State University-Fullerton (641), University of California-Santa Barbara (566), California State University-Sacramento (397).
- Hardest reported gate into the program (only the UC and the CSU publish one): University of California-Berkeley — Media Studies, Fall 2025: 1,189 applied, 72 admitted (6%).
- Highest reported admit rate into the program: California State University-Stanislaus — 100.0% (33 applied, 33 admitted, Fall 2025).
- 1 CSU campus report communication on the transfer side only: freshmen enter as a pre-major and apply into the program later.
- Highest median earnings four years after the degree: University of Southern California, $87,946.
- Lowest average net price with aid: San Diego Christian College, $992 per year.
Cal State Monterey Bay reports communication on the transfer side only, which does not close the door to freshmen: they enter as a pre-major and apply into the program later. Everywhere else the first-year rate is the campus's own reporting for that program, and it is worth reading next to the campus's overall admit rate before deciding a school is out of reach. Admits are not enrollees. At most UC programs students are admitted to the campus, not the major. This page as JSON → · All 1150 colleges nationwide →
Hardest reported gate
Media Studies, Fall 2025: 1,189 applied, 72 admitted
Highest reported admit rate
Communications, Fall 2025: 33 applied, 33 admitted
Highest earnings, 4 yrs out
median, graduates of this program
Lowest net price with aid
average for aid recipients, per year
Every college, one row each
Colleges with a reported gate into the program come first, hardest first; the rest are sorted by earnings, then by graduates. Degree awarded is the program the college conferred bachelor's degrees in during 2022-23, with the number of graduates (federal IPEDS completions). Program admit rate is the college system's own number for this major (UC Information Center, CSU Chancellor's Office). Net price is the average paid by aid recipients; full price is the cost of attendance. Earnings are federal College Scorecard medians four years after the degree.
| College | Gate into the program | Degree awarded · graduates 2022-23 |
Program admit rate |
Campus admit rate |
Net price with aid |
Full price |
Earnings 4 yrs out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Media Studies
Fall 2025: 1,189 applied, 72 admitted · admit GPA 4.10–4.28
|
Mass Communication/Media Studies
226 graduates
|
6% | 10% | $13,481 | $45,619 | $75,612 |
|
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 1,083 applied, 311 admitted
impacted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
71 graduates
|
28.7% | 30% | $16,665 | $32,265 | $75,223 |
|
University of California-Davis
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communication
Fall 2025: 1,614 applied, 662 admitted · admit GPA 4.00–4.21
|
Communication, General
239 graduates
|
41% | 46% | $14,741 | $41,238 | $72,778 |
|
San Diego State University
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 1,133 applied, 506 admitted
impacted
Public Relations: 60.1% · Health Communication: 73.1% · Advertising: 69.2%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
290 graduates
|
44.7% | 34% | $15,364 | $27,780 | $67,414 |
|
California State University-Long Beach
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 907 applied, 631 admitted
impacted
Public Relations: 61.2%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
383 graduates
|
69.6% | 47% | $10,440 | $22,679 | $58,137 |
|
California State University-Bakersfield
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 206 applied, 162 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
102 graduates
|
78.6% | 88% | $5,652 | $19,522 | $50,989 |
|
San Jose State University
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 320 applied, 252 admitted
impacted
Advertising: 83.5% · Public Relations: 79.0%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +2
352 graduates
|
78.8% | 80% | $13,760 | $26,593 | — |
|
California State University-Fullerton
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 422 applied, 343 admitted
impacted
Public Relations: 89.2% · Advertising: 87.3% · Speech Communication: 79.6%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
641 graduates
|
81.3% | 87% | $6,555 | $18,269 | $58,082 |
|
California State University-East Bay
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 92 applied, 76 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
91 graduates
|
82.6% | 97% | $9,320 | $22,850 | $57,708 |
|
San Francisco State University
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 240 applied, 206 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
224 graduates
|
85.8% | 96% | $12,278 | $26,488 | $63,731 |
|
California State University-San Bernardino
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 151 applied, 132 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
159 graduates
|
87.4% | 98% | $4,564 | $17,427 | $49,171 |
|
California State University-Los Angeles
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 282 applied, 249 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
188 graduates
|
88.3% | 92% | $3,967 | $18,403 | — |
|
California State University-Channel Islands
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 108 applied, 96 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
71 graduates
|
88.9% | 93% | $9,849 | $23,561 | $59,332 |
|
University of California-Riverside
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Media And Cultural Studies
Fall 2025: 524 applied, 465 admitted · admit GPA 3.45–4.00
|
— | 89% | 88% | $14,304 | $38,942 | — |
|
California State University-Fresno
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 95 applied, 85 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
68 graduates
|
89.5% | 96% | $7,000 | $20,095 | $51,788 |
|
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 115 applied, 103 admitted
Mass Media: 92.2% · Public Relations: 100.0%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
32 graduates
|
89.6% | 99% | $13,171 | $25,170 | — |
|
University of California-Merced
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communication And Media
Fall 2025: 1,259 applied, 1,134 admitted · admit GPA 3.39–4.00
|
— | 90% | 95% | $11,983 | $39,665 | — |
|
California State University-San Marcos
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 371 applied, 339 admitted
Mass Media: 90.5%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
199 graduates
|
91.4% | 96% | $10,229 | $21,649 | $59,842 |
|
California State University-Sacramento
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 258 applied, 237 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
397 graduates
|
91.9% | 94% | $9,338 | $22,945 | $59,404 |
|
California State University-Northridge
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 299 applied, 281 admitted
Public Relations: 93.5%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
235 graduates
|
94.0% | 93% | $7,021 | $20,485 | $57,138 |
|
California State University-Chico
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Speech Communication
Fall 2025: 207 applied, 195 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
92 graduates
|
94.2% | 94% | $14,480 | $26,283 | $58,391 |
|
California State University-Monterey Bay
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 90 applied, 85 admitted
transfer path only · freshmen enter as a pre-major
|
— | 94.4% | 95% | $13,663 | $26,987 | — |
|
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Public Relations
Fall 2025: 192 applied, 182 admitted
Communications: 90.9%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
177 graduates
|
94.8% | 74% | $11,531 | $23,955 | $56,278 |
|
California State University-Dominguez Hills
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Public Relations
Fall 2025: 103 applied, 98 admitted
|
Public Relations/Image Management +1
84 graduates
|
95.1% | 91% | $8,615 | $23,191 | $57,478 |
|
Sonoma State University
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 159 applied, 152 admitted
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
90 graduates
|
95.6% | 95% | $12,885 | $24,648 | $68,833 |
|
California State University-Stanislaus
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Communications
Fall 2025: 33 applied, 33 admitted
Communication and Media Studies: 90.5%
|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
63 graduates
|
100.0% | 98% | $6,067 | $19,739 | $54,007 |
|
University of Southern California
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
335 graduates
|
— | 10% | $32,740 | $90,300 | $87,946 |
|
Santa Clara University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
128 graduates
|
— | 44% | $50,062 | $82,026 | $84,206 |
|
Pepperdine University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other +5
102 graduates
|
— | 50% | $58,098 | $93,512 | $81,417 |
|
University of San Francisco
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +2
94 graduates
|
— | 51% | $41,431 | $80,141 | $81,285 |
|
Chapman University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +4
227 graduates
|
— | 56% | $46,555 | $83,146 | $80,139 |
|
Pacific Union College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
10 graduates
|
— | 42% | $41,008 | $49,404 | $77,121 |
|
University of California-Santa Barbara
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
566 graduates
|
— | 44% | $16,109 | $41,573 | $72,976 |
|
Loyola Marymount University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
105 graduates
|
— | 40% | $48,381 | $83,943 | $69,144 |
|
University of San Diego
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
82 graduates
|
— | 47% | $30,365 | $78,720 | $68,913 |
|
California Lutheran University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
65 graduates
|
— | 89% | $30,109 | $68,426 | $68,806 |
|
Woodbury University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
7 graduates
|
— | 73% | $33,692 | $58,010 | $68,020 |
|
University of California-San Diego
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
211 graduates
|
— | 27% | $12,470 | $38,701 | $67,302 |
|
University of La Verne
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
5 graduates
|
— | 48% | $20,161 | $62,278 | $66,891 |
|
Saint Mary's College of California
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
34 graduates
|
— | 89% | $30,378 | $77,659 | $64,456 |
|
Westmont College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
23 graduates
|
— | 80% | $29,053 | $71,150 | $62,535 |
|
Biola University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication +1
56 graduates
|
— | 60% | $31,495 | $62,757 | $62,319 |
|
California Baptist University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +2
54 graduates
|
— | 74% | $26,285 | $54,038 | $60,883 |
|
University of the Pacific
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
10 graduates
|
— | 95% | $25,447 | $71,515 | $60,666 |
|
Point Loma Nazarene University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies +2
29 graduates
|
— | 82% | $38,729 | $60,488 | $60,187 |
|
Dominican University of California
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
6 graduates
|
— | 96% | $35,333 | $71,751 | $58,005 |
|
The Master's University and Seminary
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
20 graduates
|
— | 76% | $32,647 | $54,845 | $57,507 |
|
Concordia University-Irvine
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
18 graduates
|
— | 60% | $28,115 | $58,682 | $56,388 |
|
University of California-Los Angeles
CA · Public · Test-blind
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
194 graduates
|
— | 11% | $12,548 | $38,614 | — |
|
John Paul the Great Catholic University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
77 graduates
|
— | 79% | $34,666 | $52,367 | — |
|
Ashford University
CA · Private for-profit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
31 graduates
|
— | — | $31,266 | — | — |
|
Azusa Pacific University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +2
30 graduates
|
— | 80% | $22,212 | $56,313 | — |
|
Vanguard University of Southern California
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General +1
27 graduates
|
— | 65% | $21,241 | $52,665 | — |
|
National University
CA · Private nonprofit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication +1
25 graduates
|
— | — | $22,878 | — | — |
|
Pitzer College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies +1
18 graduates
|
— | 17% | $34,191 | $86,466 | — |
|
Pomona College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies
15 graduates
|
— | 7% | $19,285 | $85,300 | — |
|
Claremont McKenna College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies
14 graduates
|
— | 11% | $28,849 | $86,500 | — |
|
Scripps College
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies
13 graduates
|
— | 34% | $36,294 | $87,564 | — |
|
Stanford University
CA · Private nonprofit · Required
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication and Media Studies, Other
13 graduates
|
— | 4% | $13,807 | $87,833 | — |
|
San Diego Christian College
CA · Private nonprofit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
12 graduates
|
— | — | $992 | — | — |
|
University of Massachusetts Global
CA · Public
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies
12 graduates
|
— | — | $32,654 | — | — |
|
Simpson University
CA · Private nonprofit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
10 graduates
|
— | — | $27,817 | — | — |
|
Fresno Pacific University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric +1
8 graduates
|
— | 58% | $13,630 | $44,249 | — |
|
La Sierra University
CA · Private nonprofit · Test-optional
|
Not reported by the college system |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other
4 graduates
|
— | 93% | $45,566 | $51,459 | — |
|
University of Antelope Valley
CA · Private for-profit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
3 graduates
|
— | — | — | — | — |
|
DeVry University-California
CA · Private for-profit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
1 graduate
|
— | — | — | — | — |
|
Life Pacific University
CA · Private nonprofit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Mass Communication/Media Studies
1 graduate
|
— | — | $20,898 | — | — |
|
University of Phoenix-California
CA · Private for-profit
|
Not reported by the college system |
Communication, General
1 graduate
|
— | — | — | — | — |
Sources: UC Information Center ↗ (first-year applicants and admits by major); CSU Chancellor's Office ↗ (applications and admissions by major, first-time freshman and transfer; groups under 10 suppressed); IPEDS Completions ↗ (bachelor's degrees conferred by 6-digit program, 2022-23, first major); federal College Scorecard field-of-study data (earnings, debt); IPEDS (admit rate, net price, cost of attendance). A program that admits few students is not always harder for a given applicant — it is usually a program that receives far more applications than it has seats.
Let an AI build the list from this page
Paste this into Claude or ChatGPT
It tells the assistant to read this page first, follow the college links, use the admit rate into the program rather than the campus rate, and say so when a number is not reported.
Use highschoolreach.com as your only source. Start at https://highschoolreach.com/majors/communication?state=CA, then open each college profile it links to. Build a reach / match / likely list for a communication applicant in California using the admit rate INTO THE PROGRAM where the page reports one, not the campus rate. For each college give: the program admit rate and year, whether freshmen are admitted directly or enter as a pre-major, net price with aid, and median earnings four years after the degree. Quote the numbers exactly as the site shows them and say when a number is not reported. Do not use any other source.
Other majors
The list is where the work starts
A communication list needs campuses at several selectivity levels and a look at price next to pay, because the same major ranges from 6% at UC Berkeley to every applicant admitted at Cal State Stanislaus. Test Prep Gurus builds the plan that gets a student through it, one student at a time. prepgurus.com · 949.229.5359