College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region

112 Ranked Colleges
17,907 Degrees Awarded
$17,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region 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. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Communication & Journalism is the 11th most popular major in the country with 120,571 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,266 and had an average of $24,758 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 17,907 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,371 and $25,050 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 112 colleges that offer a degree in communication and journalism. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great communication and journalism programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Communication & Journalism Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” 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.

Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Communication & Journalism (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

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 Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 823 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,686 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Northwestern

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 277 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $17,207 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

3
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 391 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k list, Purdue has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $17,124 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Purdue

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 593 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $20,234 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 IU Bloomington Communication & Journalism Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 803 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $22,377 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - Madison

6

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 627 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,400 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UIUC

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 55 degrees to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,197 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Michigan - Dearborn Communication & Journalism Report

8

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 656 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $21,575 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Ohio State

9
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 196 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $16,142 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 more about Communication & Journalism at Oakland

10

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 81 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - La Crosse is $16,472 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UW - La Crosse Communication & Journalism Report

11

Sinclair Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Sinclair Community College is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,355 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Sinclair Community College.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Sinclair Community College

12

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 172 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Whitewater is $17,253 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Communication & Journalism Report

13

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 114 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $16,739 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UW - River Falls

14
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 521 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Ball State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $19,563 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 Ball State Communication & Journalism Report

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UW - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $16,503 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Communication & Journalism Report

16

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #16. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 116 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $18,226 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Communication & Journalism Report

17

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 122 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $18,816 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

18
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

With a ranking of #18, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 302 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $18,135 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full Central Michigan University Communication & Journalism Report

19

University of Wisconsin - Parkside came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 49 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Parkside is $15,198 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

20
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #20, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,336 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,297 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Michigan State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national 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 & Journalism at Michigan State University

21
Franklin University crest
Franklin University
Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 23 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $10,365 for Great Lakes Region Communication & Journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Full Franklin University Communication & Journalism Report

22

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 255 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $17,844 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 more about Communication & Journalism at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

23
Albion crest
Albion College
Albion, Michigan

Albion College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. Albion is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albion, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $20,128 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Albion.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Albion College

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 230 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k list, UWM has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $20,785 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UWM

25

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 126 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UIC is $19,839 for great lakes region communication & journalism students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Illinois at Chicago Communication & Journalism Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options