Best Online Communications Programs in Pinehurst, NC (2026)

Pinehurst, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs. Pinehurst has a population of about 17,992. Median household income is $104,955 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 62.0% 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 Pinehurst

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

#1

St. Andrews University

Laurinburg, NC 31.2 miles from Pinehurst
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 33.6 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 49.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,144
Avg net price $7,892/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC 33.7 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 31.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,050
Avg net price $24,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke, NC 37.7 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 47.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,407
Avg net price $10,260/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Campbell University

Buies Creek, NC 43.7 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 46.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,886
Avg net price $24,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer, NC 50.2 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 44.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,562
Avg net price $19,076/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 54.6 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 91.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wingate University

Wingate, NC 56.9 miles from Pinehurst BOC Score 51.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,649
Avg net price $20,748/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near Pinehurst

Pinehurst is part of the Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metro area (BLS area code 38240). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$64,090Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC$72,582
Public Relations Manager$132,280NC statewide$149,807
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$58,670NC statewide$66,444
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$64,080Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC$72,571

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.


Pinehurst at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,992Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$104,955Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+62.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Pinehurst-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Pinehurst, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Pinehurst. The closest is St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC (31.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Campbell University (43.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Pinehurst?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Pinehurst are: Public Relations Manager ($132,280), Public Relations Specialist ($64,090), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($64,080). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rockingham instead of Pinehurst?

Rockingham, NC is 24.1 miles from Pinehurst 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 Pinehurst an affordable place to study communications?

Pinehurst’s median household income of $104,955 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pinehurst 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 Pinehurst

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

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.