Best Online Communications Programs in Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Updated August 10, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $19,800 to $31,270 per year for indexed programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $113,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Communications Schools to Chattanooga

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Chattanooga, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chattanooga 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 Tennessee schools on the Tennessee communications page.

Communications Wages Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$66,370Chattanooga, TN-GA$72,536
Public Relations Manager$113,840Chattanooga, TN-GA$124,415
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$62,390TN statewide$68,186
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$66,460Chattanooga, TN-GA$72,634

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.

Chattanooga at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population182,832Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,028Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Communications Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Chattanooga. The closest is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in Chattanooga, TN (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bryan College-Dayton (32.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Chattanooga are: Public Relations Manager ($113,840), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($66,460), Public Relations Specialist ($66,370). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?

East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga an affordable place to study communications?

Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 Chattanooga

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

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.

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