Best Online Communications Programs in Portsmouth, OH (2026)

Portsmouth, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs. Portsmouth has a population of about 17,919. Median household income is $35,319 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Ohio, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $118,670 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to Portsmouth

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

#1

University of Rio Grande

Rio Grande, OH 31.8 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 50.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,478
Avg net price $23,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus

Chillicothe, OH 39.9 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 71.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,581
Avg net price $5,755/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Ohio Christian University

Circleville, OH 59.3 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 26.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,813
Avg net price $20,607/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH 60.2 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,581
Avg net price $21,637/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Wilmington College

Wilmington, OH 66.7 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 43.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,491
Avg net price $24,153/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Lancaster, OH 70.7 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 45.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,581
Avg net price $5,650/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Cincinnati-Clermont College

Batavia, OH 70.9 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 58.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,810
Avg net price $13,803/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wilberforce University

Wilberforce, OH 82.8 miles from Portsmouth BOC Score 40.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,298
Avg net price $5,567/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near Portsmouth

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Ohio, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$64,840
Public Relations Manager$118,670
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$47,880
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$72,790

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.


Portsmouth at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,919Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$35,319Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Portsmouth-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Portsmouth, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Portsmouth. The closest is University of Rio Grande in Rio Grande, OH (31.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio Christian University (59.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles in Ohio?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles in Ohio are: Public Relations Manager ($118,670), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($72,790), Public Relations Specialist ($64,840). Wages for Portsmouth workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Ashland instead of Portsmouth?

Ashland, KY is 26.0 miles from Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth an affordable place to study communications?

Portsmouth’s median household income of $35,319 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portsmouth while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Portsmouth

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

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.