Best Online Communications Programs in Forest City, NC (2026)

Updated July 30, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Forest City, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $34,760 to $47,091 per year for indexed programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $132,280 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Communications Schools to Forest City

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

#1

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 13.1 miles from Forest City BOC Score 44.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Montreat College

Montreat, NC 32.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 26.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,151
Avg net price $27,061/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 41.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 41.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Carolina Asheville

Asheville, NC 43.7 miles from Forest City BOC Score 46.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,030
Avg net price $12,250/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC 57.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 39.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,415
Avg net price $28,340/yr
Tuition
In‑state$33,250
Out‑of‑state$33,250
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 57.6 miles from Forest City BOC Score 33.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 45%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,680
Avg net price $20,894/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,300
Out‑of‑state$21,300
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 57.9 miles from Forest City BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $27,426/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Davidson College

Davidson, NC 58.7 miles from Forest City BOC Score 78.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,400
Avg net price $17,379/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Communications Wages Near Forest City

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$67,230
Public Relations Manager$132,280
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$58,670
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$78,410

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.

Forest City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population7,368Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$35,897Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Communications Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Forest City, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Forest City. The closest is Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC (13.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Greenville University (33.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles in North Carolina are: Public Relations Manager ($132,280), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($78,410), Public Relations Specialist ($67,230). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?

Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City 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 Forest City an affordable place to study communications?

Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Forest City

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

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.

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