2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in Illinois (With Aid)
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 121,387 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,549 and had an average of $24,893 in loans still to pay off.
Across Illinois, there were 4,627 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,616 and $26,576 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,555 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 37 colleges that offered a degree in communication and journalism. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and journalism programs that also have a lower cost than 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.
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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 “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in Illinois (With Aid)
Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 623 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid per year to attend UIUC.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 94%.
Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
UIC also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. UIS is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 32 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIS, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIS is $12,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Governors State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. GSU is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 43 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Governors State University is $12,077 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Governors State University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 192 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 128 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
SIUE also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $14,423 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid per year to attend SIUE.
Saint Xavier University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Xavier University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 27 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
SXU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SXU is $14,528 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
With a ranking of #8, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 83 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
EIU also took the #22 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $14,607 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 354 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $24,664 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northwestern University
Chicago State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,733 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid per year to attend Chicago State University.
The impressive 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.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Chicago State University
Western Illinois University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 96 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
Illinois State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 285 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,895 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid per year to attend Illinois State University.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 more about Communication & Journalism at Illinois State
With a ranking of #13, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 114 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $16,945 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid per year to attend SIUC.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University of St Francis landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Saint Francis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Saint Francis is $17,538 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Saint Francis Communication & Journalism Report
Aurora University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Aurora, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid list, Aurora has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Aurora University is $17,215 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
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%.
With a ranking of #16, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 70 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,843 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northeastern Illinois University
Dominican University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Dominican U is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 5 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dominican U, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican U is $19,268 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
The impressive 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.
Augustana College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Rock Island, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 64 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,874 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Quincy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Quincy U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Quincy, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Quincy University is $17,497 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
Monmouth College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Monmouth College is located in Monmouth, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
Monmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Monmouth College is $17,061 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
With a ranking of #21, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Wheaton College Illinois
Millikin University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Millikin also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $21,331 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid per year to attend Millikin University.
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.
Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
Elmhurst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $21,485 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #24, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
Lake Forest also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest is $26,426 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students with aid.
The low 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%.
With a ranking of #25, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Bradley University is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 104 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid list, Bradley has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $25,634 for illinois bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students with aid per year to attend Bradley.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
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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 Josh Hallett.
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