26
Colleges in Illinois
2,072
Communications Degrees Awarded
$35,207
Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in
communication & media studies, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #10 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
In 2024, College Factual analyzed 26 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Illinois ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,072 degrees in communication & media studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
The communications program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Communication & Media Studies rankings. We derive our Best Overall Communication & Media Studies School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Communication & Media Studies Schools in Illinois list, to help you choose the best school for you.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
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.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
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Featured Communication & Media Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Communication
With an online bachelor's degree in communication you'll have the opportunity to pursue a multitude of career options. From journalism and social media, to public relations, advertising and mass media, earning your BA in communication will allow you to strategize and communicate your ideas.
Learn More
MA in Communication
Effective communicators are always in demand, no matter the industry. The Master's in Communication degree from Southern New Hampshire University is a cutting-edge program designed for forward-thinking professionals.
Learn More
If you aren't 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.
10 Top Illinois Schools in Communications
Northwestern University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were roughly 207 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from Northwestern University receive $23,149 more than the typical communications grad.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Northwestern University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 327 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive an earnings boost of around $3,454 above the typical income of communication & media studies graduates.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Any student pursuing a degree in communication & media studies has to look into DePaul University. Located in the city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #203 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.
There were roughly 173 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent data year. Those communication & media studies students who get their degree from DePaul University earn $3,860 more than the standard communications grad.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from DePaul University
Illinois State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in communication & media studies. Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #231 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Illinois State is a great university overall.
There were about 226 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the communication & media studies major at Illinois State University make $5,562 above the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Illinois State University
Located in the suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #289 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Lake Forest is a great college overall.
There were about 17 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Lake Forest in the most recent data year. Communication & Media Studies degree recipients from Lake Forest College earn a boost of approximately $10,455 over the average income of communication & media studies majors.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Lake Forest College
UIC is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #192 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UIC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 126 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, communications degree recipients typically earn around $31,434 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from University of Illinois at Chicago
Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wheaton. A Best Colleges rank of #257 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Wheaton College Illinois is a great college overall.
There were about 29 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Illinois in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, communications degree recipients usually make around $34,982 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Wheaton College Illinois
Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 31st out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were approximately 116 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at SIUE in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the communications program earn an average of $34,293 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Located in the large city of Chicago, Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #137 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Loyola Chicago is a great university overall.
There were about 32 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Chicago in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the communications program report average early career earnings of $34,388.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Loyola University Chicago
NIU is a large public university located in the small suburb of Dekalb. A Best Colleges rank of #550 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means NIU is a great university overall.
There were about 174 communication & media studies students who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the communications program report average early career income of $34,427.
More information about a degree in communication & media studies from Northern Illinois University
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