Best Online Communications Programs in Waynesboro, VA (2026)

Waynesboro, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $16,090 to $58,702 per year for indexed programs. Waynesboro has a population of about 22,574. Median household income is $56,364 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.3% 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 Waynesboro

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

#1

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA 21.7 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 58.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,453
Avg net price $17,800/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,090
Out‑of‑state$16,090
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 21.8 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 86.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA 25.4 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 77.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,954
Avg net price $23,322/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, VA 27.9 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 56.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,869
Avg net price $24,588/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA 35.4 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 74.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $94,810
Avg net price $23,781/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Randolph College

Lynchburg, VA 46.0 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 52.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,409
Avg net price $15,921/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, VA 48.7 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 58.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,380
Avg net price $22,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 51.8 miles from Waynesboro BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near Waynesboro

Waynesboro 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.


Waynesboro at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,574Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,364Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+26.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Waynesboro-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Waynesboro, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Waynesboro. The closest is Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA (21.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Washington and Lee University (35.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Waynesboro?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Waynesboro 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 Staunton instead of Waynesboro?

Staunton, VA is 10.8 miles from Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro an affordable place to study communications?

Waynesboro’s median household income of $56,364 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waynesboro 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

Other Programs Available in Waynesboro

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

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.