Best Online Communications Programs in Johnston, IA (2026)

Johnston, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $47,656 to $61,227 per year for indexed programs. Johnston has a population of about 24,196. Median household income is $103,430 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 57.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $126,520 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to Johnston

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

No school data available.

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


Communications Wages Near Johnston

Johnston is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$70,660Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$77,056
Public Relations Manager$126,520Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$137,972
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$54,230Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$59,138
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$76,580Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$83,511

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.


Johnston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,196Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$103,430Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+57.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Johnston, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Johnston. The closest is Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, IA (5.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Iowa State University (23.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Johnston?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Johnston are: Public Relations Manager ($126,520), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($76,580), Public Relations Specialist ($70,660). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Urbandale instead of Johnston?

Urbandale, IA is 4.6 miles from Johnston 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 Johnston an affordable place to study communications?

Johnston’s median household income of $103,430 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Johnston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Johnston

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

Data verified: August 10, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.