Best Online Communications Programs in McDonough, GA (2026)

McDonough, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs. McDonough has a population of about 30,056. Median household income is $77,734 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $136,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to McDonough

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near McDonough, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from McDonough city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from McDonough. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Clayton State University

Morrow, GA 14.7 miles from McDonough BOC Score 50.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,179
Avg net price $8,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA 24.3 miles from McDonough BOC Score 65.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,274
Avg net price $24,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 25.5 miles from McDonough BOC Score 54.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Oglethorpe University

Atlanta, GA 25.7 miles from McDonough BOC Score 42.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,232
Avg net price $19,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA 26.1 miles from McDonough BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,889
Avg net price $39,013/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA 26.2 miles from McDonough BOC Score 26.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,712
Avg net price $37,702/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA 26.3 miles from McDonough BOC Score 95.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,772
Avg net price $12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 26.6 miles from McDonough BOC Score 83.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia communications page.


Communications Wages Near McDonough

McDonough is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area (BLS area code 12060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$78,920Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$78,841
Public Relations Manager$136,490Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$136,354
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$85,040Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$84,955
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$79,030Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$78,951

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


McDonough at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,056Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,734Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other McDonough-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near McDonough, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near McDonough. The closest is Clayton State University in Morrow, GA (14.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Morehouse College (26.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near McDonough?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near McDonough are: Public Relations Manager ($136,490), News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist ($85,040), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($79,030). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Stockbridge instead of McDonough?

Stockbridge, GA is 7.5 miles from McDonough and has its own set of local communications programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is McDonough an affordable place to study communications?

McDonough’s median household income of $77,734 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in McDonough while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Communications Programs

Other Programs Available in McDonough

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for McDonough:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.