Best Online Communications Programs in Poughkeepsie, NY (2026)

Poughkeepsie, New York has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $8,572 to $67,574 per year for indexed programs. Poughkeepsie has a population of about 31,778. Median household income is $60,050 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $158,270 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to Poughkeepsie

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Poughkeepsie, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Poughkeepsie 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 Poughkeepsie. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, NY 1.4 miles from Poughkeepsie BOC Score 65.4
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,366
Avg net price $39,343/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY 2.0 miles from Poughkeepsie BOC Score 72.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,819
Avg net price $41,544/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,750
Out‑of‑state$47,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Dutchess Community College

Poughkeepsie, NY 2.4 miles from Poughkeepsie BOC Score 55.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,929
Avg net price $10,065/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie is part of the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metro area (BLS area code 28880). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$72,390Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$66,170
Public Relations Manager$158,270Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$144,671
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$100,770NY statewide$92,112
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$76,300Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$69,744

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.


Poughkeepsie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,778Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,050Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)109.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Poughkeepsie-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Poughkeepsie, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Poughkeepsie. The closest is Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mount Saint Mary College (13.5 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Poughkeepsie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Poughkeepsie are: Public Relations Manager ($158,270), News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist ($100,770), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($76,300). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Newburgh instead of Poughkeepsie?

Newburgh, NY is 14.2 miles from Poughkeepsie 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 Poughkeepsie an affordable place to study communications?

Poughkeepsie’s median household income of $60,050 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Poughkeepsie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Poughkeepsie

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

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 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.