Staunton, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $16,090 to $58,702 per year for indexed programs. Staunton has a population of about 25,765. Median household income is $62,586 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $176,340 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Communications Schools to Staunton
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Staunton, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Staunton 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Staunton.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
92%
Graduation rate
51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$53,453
Avg net price
$17,800/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,090
Out‑of‑state$16,090
Key stats- Retention rate: 76%
- Programs offered: 8
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$69,954
Avg net price
$23,322/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 34
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,869
Avg net price
$24,588/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 76%
- Programs offered: 20
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$86,863
Avg net price
$21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 42
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$94,810
Avg net price
$23,781/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 5
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$53,409
Avg net price
$15,921/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 72%
- Programs offered: 8
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,380
Avg net price
$22,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 33
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,813
Avg net price
$29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 81
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Virginia schools on the Virginia communications page.
Communications Wages Near Staunton
Staunton is part of the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro area (BLS area code 44420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $59,900 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $65,752 |
| Public Relations Manager | $176,340 | VA statewide | $193,568 |
| News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist | $62,140 | VA statewide | $68,211 |
| Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist | $69,660 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $76,465 |
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.
Staunton at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 25,765 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $62,586 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Staunton-Area Cities With Communications Programs
- Waynesboro, VA – 10.8 mi away (21,887 pop)
- Harrisonburg, VA – 21.7 mi away (72,470 pop)
- Charlottesville, VA – 32.4 mi away (99,664 pop)
- Lynchburg, VA – 52.9 mi away (123,795 pop)
- Roanoke, VA – 78.2 mi away (215,793 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited communications schools are near Staunton, VA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Staunton. The closest is Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA (15.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Washington and Lee University (33.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying communications roles near Staunton?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Staunton are: Public Relations Manager ($176,340), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($69,660), News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist ($62,140). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Waynesboro instead of Staunton?
Waynesboro, VA is 10.8 miles from Staunton 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 Staunton an affordable place to study communications?
Staunton’s median household income of $62,586 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Staunton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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
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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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