Best Online Communications Programs in Staunton, VA (2026)

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.

No school data available.

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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$59,900Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA$65,752
Public Relations Manager$176,340VA statewide$193,568
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$62,140VA statewide$68,211
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$69,660Staunton-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

MetricValueSource
Population25,765Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,586Census 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


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.


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Other Programs Available in Staunton

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

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.