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2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

15 Ranked Colleges
465 Degrees Awarded
$24,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 12,336 people earned their degree in general journalism, making the major the 58th most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 614 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 465 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in general journalism. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general journalism programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general journalism program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Journalism Schools

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 Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 151 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,784 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low 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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern General Journalism Report

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $21,998 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at UIUC

#3

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $21,425 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on General Journalism at NIU

#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $20,698 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on General Journalism at SIUC

#5

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Augustana College landed the #5 spot on the list. Augustana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rock Island, Illinois. It awarded 22 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,730 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Augustana College

#6

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 13 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend EIU is $19,147 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about General Journalism at Eastern Illinois University

#7

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Dominican University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Dominican U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dominican U is $21,979 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Journalism at Dominican U

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $20,181 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about General Journalism at Western Illinois University

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Illinois State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $25,379 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State University General Journalism Report

#10

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

North Central College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Naperville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

North Central also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $25,778 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 General Journalism at North Central College

#11

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Concordia University, Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Chicago is $17,820 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on General Journalism at Concordia University, Chicago

#12

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Bradley University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bradley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $28,169 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Bradley.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 86%.

Read more about General Journalism at Bradley University

#13

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Columbia College Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $33,864 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Columbia General Journalism Report

#14

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

DePaul University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. DePaul is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 42 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $30,877 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend DePaul.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at DePaul University

#15

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $36,700 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Journalism at Loyola Chicago

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jfurrer.

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