Best Online Communications Programs in Spokane, WA (2026)

Spokane, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $8,586 to $73,178 per year for indexed programs. Spokane has a population of about 229,228. Median household income is $65,745 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $137,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to Spokane

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

#1

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA 1.2 miles from Spokane BOC Score 76.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,892
Avg net price $35,119/yr
Tuition
In‑state$55,480
Out‑of‑state$55,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane, WA 1.6 miles from Spokane BOC Score 58.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,955
Avg net price $7,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Great Northern University

Spokane, WA 1.6 miles from Spokane
  • 4 year
Avg net price $21,029/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Whitworth University

Spokane, WA 6.0 miles from Spokane BOC Score 63.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,561
Avg net price $26,534/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near Spokane

Spokane is part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area (BLS area code 44060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$74,610Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$74,387
Public Relations Manager$137,240Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$136,830
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$47,630Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$47,488
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$70,390Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$70,179

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.


Spokane at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population229,228Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,745Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Spokane-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near Spokane, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Spokane. The closest is Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Eastern Washington University (13.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near Spokane?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Spokane are: Public Relations Manager ($137,240), Public Relations Specialist ($74,610), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($70,390). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Spokane Valley instead of Spokane?

Spokane Valley, WA is 9.2 miles from Spokane 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 Spokane an affordable place to study communications?

Spokane’s median household income of $65,745 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Spokane while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Spokane

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

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.