Best Online Communications Programs in La Crosse, WI (2026)

La Crosse, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs. La Crosse has a population of about 51,791. Median household income is $53,803 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $113,980 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Communications Schools to La Crosse

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

#1

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI 0.6 miles from La Crosse BOC Score 75.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,378
Avg net price $16,210/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Communications Wages Near La Crosse

La Crosse is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area (BLS area code 29100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$64,130La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN$69,858
Public Relations Manager$113,980WI statewide$124,161
News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist$57,530WI statewide$62,669
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$61,930La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN$67,462

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.


La Crosse at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population51,791Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,803Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other La Crosse-Area Cities With Communications Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited communications schools are near La Crosse, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near La Crosse. The closest is University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, WI (0.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rochester Community and Technical College (61.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying communications roles near La Crosse?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near La Crosse are: Public Relations Manager ($113,980), Public Relations Specialist ($64,130), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($61,930). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Winona instead of La Crosse?

Winona, MN is 27.0 miles from La Crosse 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 La Crosse an affordable place to study communications?

La Crosse’s median household income of $53,803 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Crosse while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 La Crosse

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.