2026 Best Communications Schools in Illinois
Communications degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their communications programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for communications students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Communications in Illinois
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the communications degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Communications
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign the best school in the country for a degree in communications. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates 85% of students within six years. There were roughly 206 communications students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $37,808. Typical student debt for the program is $19,500.
See the full communications program report for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
A rank of #2 makes University Of Illinois At Chicago one of the top schools for communications. This very large public university is located in the city of Chicago. University Of Illinois At Chicago graduates 62% of students within six years. About 95 communications degrees were awarded at University Of Illinois At Chicago in the most recent year. Graduates of the communications program make about $38,912 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,750.
More information about a degree in communications from University Of Illinois At Chicago
Students looking for a strong communications program will find one at National Louis University, which ranked #3. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Chicago. The six-year graduation rate is 30%. National Louis University awarded about 22 communications degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the communications program make about $53,733 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $29,242.
Get the full communications details for National Louis University
Eastern Illinois University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in communications, landing the #4 spot this year. This large public university is located in the town of Charleston. The six-year graduation rate is 47%. Eastern Illinois University awarded about 71 communications degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients from Eastern Illinois University generally make around $40,683. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
Get the full communications details for Eastern Illinois University
A rank of #5 makes University Of Illinois At Springfield one of the top schools for communications. Located in the city of Springfield, University Of Illinois At Springfield is a moderately-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. About 31 communications degrees were awarded at University Of Illinois At Springfield in the most recent year. Students who receive their communications degree from University Of Illinois At Springfield earn around $32,050 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,322.
Get the full communications details for University Of Illinois At Springfield
Columbia College Chicago came in at #6 for communications this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. About 52% of students finish within six years. About 15 communications degrees were awarded at Columbia College Chicago in the most recent year. Students who receive their communications degree from Columbia College Chicago earn around $29,160 in the first couple years of their career. Columbia College Chicago graduates carry a median of $26,557 in student loans.
More information about a degree in communications from Columbia College Chicago
More Communications Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 12 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
