2026 Best Radio & Television Schools in Illinois
Radio & Television is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best radio & television schools.
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Best Schools for Radio & Television in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall radio & television education in Illinois.
Top Schools in Radio & Television
Northwestern University tops our 2026 ranking of the best radio & television schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Evanston. Northwestern University graduates 95% of students within six years. Northwestern University awarded about 68 radio & television degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their radio & television degree from Northwestern University earn around $56,833 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete this degree.
Get the full radio & television details for Northwestern University
College Of Dupage came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best radio & television schools. Located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public university. College Of Dupage awarded about 18 radio & television degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, radio & television degree recipients from College Of Dupage generally make around $43,025. College Of Dupage graduates carry a median of $12,492 in student loans.
See the full radio & television program report for College Of Dupage
Lake Land College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in radio & television, ranking #3. Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Mattoon. Lake Land College awarded about 24 radio & television degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the radio & television program make about $30,294 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $7,769.
Get the full radio & television details for Lake Land College
Bradley University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in radio & television, landing the #4 spot this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Peoria. About 76% of students finish within six years. Bradley University awarded about 12 radio & television degrees in the most recent data year. Radio & Television graduates of Bradley University earn a median of $32,742 early in their careers. Bradley University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Get the full radio & television details for Bradley University
Students looking for a strong radio & television program will find one at Columbia College Chicago, which ranked #5. Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Columbia College Chicago graduates 52% of students within six years. About 22 radio & television degrees were awarded at Columbia College Chicago in the most recent year. Graduates of the radio & television program make about $24,191 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $25,420 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in radio & television from Columbia College Chicago
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #6 for radio & television this year. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 23 radio & television degrees were awarded at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the most recent year. Radio & Television graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $25,057 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,025 to complete this degree.
Get the full radio & television details for Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Illinois Media School ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best radio & television schools. Illinois Media School is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Illinois Media School awarded about 41 radio & television degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the radio & television program make about $18,740 in their early career. Illinois Media School graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans.
Read more about the radio & television program at Illinois Media School
Illinois Media School Chicago Campus earned the #8 position for radio & television this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Media School Chicago Campus is a small private for-profit university. There were roughly 45 radio & television students who graduated with this degree at Illinois Media School Chicago Campus in the most recent data year. Radio & Television graduates of Illinois Media School Chicago Campus earn a median of $18,740 early in their careers. Illinois Media School Chicago Campus graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans.
See the full radio & television program report for Illinois Media School Chicago Campus
More Radio & Television Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 16 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.
