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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region

192 Ranked Colleges
7,910 Degrees Awarded
$33,518 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. 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. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 7,910 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 192 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and media studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their communication and media studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies in the Great Lakes Region

1
Hanover crest
Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hanover College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region. Hanover is a small school located in Hanover, Indiana that handed out 33 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Hanover

2
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Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, Ohio

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wilberforce University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Wilberforce University is a small school located in Wilberforce, Ohio that handed out 10 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Wilberforce University

3
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DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

Out of the 192 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, DePauw University landed the #3 spot on the list. DePauw is located in Greencastle, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at DePauw

4
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Rochester University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Out of the 192 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rochester University landed the #4 spot on the list. Rochester University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Full RU Communication & Media Studies Report

5
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Albion College
Albion, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Albion College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region. Albion College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Albion, Michigan. It awarded 31 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Albion Communication & Media Studies Report

6
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Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Denison University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Denison University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Granville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Denison Communication & Media Studies Report

7
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Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Principia College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elsah, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Principia

8
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Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

Ripon College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ripon is a small school located in Ripon, Wisconsin that handed out 14 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Ripon College

9
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John Carroll University
University Heights, Ohio

John Carroll University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. John Carroll University is located in University Heights, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at John Carroll University

10
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Saint Norbert College
De Pere, Wisconsin

Saint Norbert College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in De Pere, Wisconsin, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Saint Norbert College

11

The College of Wooster came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. The College of Wooster is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wooster, Ohio. It awarded 29 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at The College of Wooster

12

Heidelberg University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Tiffin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Heidelburg College

13
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Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Eureka College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Eureka College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Eureka, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Eureka College Communication & Media Studies Report

14
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Indiana University - East
Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indiana University - East is a public institution located in Richmond, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at IU East

15
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Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Augustana

16
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Hope College
Holland, Michigan

Hope College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Hope College is a small school located in Holland, Michigan that handed out 38 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Hope College

17
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Aquinas College Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Aquinas College Michigan did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Aquinas College Michigan is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Aquinas College Michigan

18
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University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio

University of Dayton came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 153 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Dayton

19
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Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana

Saint Mary’s College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at St. Mary’s College

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 87 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

21
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Indiana University - Southeast
New Albany, Indiana

With a ranking of #21, Indiana University - Southeast did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in New Albany, Indiana, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Indiana University - Southeast Communication & Media Studies Report

22
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Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois

Blackburn College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Blackburn is a small school located in Carlinville, Illinois that handed out 4 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Blackburn College Communication & Media Studies Report

23
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Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 440 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Indiana University - Bloomington Communication & Media Studies Report

24
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 506 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Michigan State University

25
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Lake Forest College

Rest of the Best 29 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in the Great Lakes Region

Not only did these schools make the top 29 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
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Hiram College
Hiram, Ohio
29
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Notre Dame College
Cleveland, Ohio

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