by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 66,787 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, communication and media studies is the 10th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,115 and had an average of $25,414 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 9,064 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,036 and $25,485 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 102 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and media studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great communication and media studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region communications students.
Out of the 102 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #1 spot on the list. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 116 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,462 for great lakes region communications students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 117 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Whitewater, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,417 for great lakes region communications students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Communication & Media Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 55 degrees to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.
UW - Eau Claire also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,051 for great lakes region communications students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Communication & Media Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 81 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,654 for great lakes region communications students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 47 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,844 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #6, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 82 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Central Michigan University Communication & Media Studies Report
Northern Illinois University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 174 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,956 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend Northern Illinois University.
Full Northern Illinois University Communication & Media Studies Report
Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 391 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,377 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Illinois State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 226 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,830 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 87 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,346 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 54 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,687 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend UW Oshkosh.
Western Illinois University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 70 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $15,305 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Western Illinois University
With a ranking of #13, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 305 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region communications students list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $23,831 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at OHIO Athens
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 222 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.
UWM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,486 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend UWM.
Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Communication & Media Studies Report
Kent State University at Kent came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Kent, Ohio, and it awarded 176 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
Kent State also took the #20 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,117 for Great Lakes Region Communications students per year to attend Kent State University at Kent.
Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 52 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $13,098 for great lakes region communications students.
Full Eastern Illinois University Communication & Media Studies Report
With a ranking of #17, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. WMU is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 76 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $20,371 for great lakes region communications students per year to attend Western Michigan University.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Western Michigan University
Grand Valley State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. GVSU is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 90 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $17,356 for great lakes region communications students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Grand Valley State University Communication & Media Studies Report
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. BGSU is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $18,558 for great lakes region communications students.
Eastern Michigan University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Michigan University is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 133 ’s communications degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $15,127 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Eastern Michigan University
Purdue University Northwest ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 75 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $11,384 for great lakes region communications students per year to attend Purdue University Northwest.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Purdue Northwest
University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Parkside is $11,082 for great lakes region communications students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Parkside Communication & Media Studies Report
Spring Arbor University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 30 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Spring Arbor University is $20,543 for great lakes region communications students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Spring Arbor
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 289 ’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.
UC also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend UC is $22,415 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Communication & Media Studies Report
Youngstown State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communications Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s communications students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $12,225 for Great Lakes Region Communications students.
Full Youngstown State University Communication & Media Studies Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
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