2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 the Great Lakes region, there were 18,381 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,631 and $25,490 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 14,850 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 147 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the communication and journalism program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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More Ways to Rank Communication & Journalism Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 103 students in 2019-2020.
UW - La Crosse not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 Communication & Journalism at UW - La Crosse
Out of the 147 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 187 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students list, UW - Whitewater has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,249 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.
Out of the 147 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #3 spot on the list. UW - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 92 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - River Falls
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 128 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $14,423 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Out of the 147 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 90 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,465 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.
Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Communication & Journalism Report
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. UW - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. NIU is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 192 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 113 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 307 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Western Illinois University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WIU is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 96 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend WIU is $16,210 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. WMU is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 160 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $19,433 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
Illinois State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois State University 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 also took the #22 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,895 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students 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 University
With a ranking of #14, Franklin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Franklin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $12,895 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $11,327 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
With a ranking of #16, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue Northwest is located in Hammond, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Purdue Northwest is $11,250 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Purdue University Northwest
With a ranking of #17, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 83 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,607 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Eastern Illinois University
Ferris State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #18. Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $12,889 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Ferris State University
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UWM is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 332 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,876 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
With a ranking of #20, University of Wisconsin - Superior did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Superior is a small school located in Superior, Wisconsin that handed out 20 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,774 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Superior.
With a ranking of #21, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 114 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,945 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Springfield, Illinois, this small public school handed out 32 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UIS is $12,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Full University of Illinois at Springfield Communication & Journalism Report
Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Eastern Michigan University is a public institution located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 187 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students per year to attend Eastern Michigan.
Full Eastern Michigan University Communication & Journalism Report
Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 131 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students list, Purdue has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Purdue University - Main Campus Communication & Journalism Report
Ashland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. Ashland University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ashland, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 133 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Ashland is $20,111 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Ashland University
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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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