by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 120,571 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. 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 Illinois, there were 4,546 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,627 and $23,670 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 59 colleges that offer a degree in communication and journalism. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their communication and journalism program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
The communication & journalism school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois communication & journalism students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia College Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. Columbia is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 158 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 823 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Northwestern University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Principia College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Located in Elsah, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend DePaul University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. DePaul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 455 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Augustana College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 57 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Illinois State University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 344 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
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 full report on Communication & Journalism at Illinois State University
With a ranking of #7, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 108 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
Bradley University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. Bradley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 93 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Bradley University
Western Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 112 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #10, Monmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Monmouth College is located in Monmouth, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.
Eureka College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Eureka, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Communication & Journalism at Eureka College
Trinity Christian College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Palos Heights, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Trinity Christian College Communication & Journalism Report
Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 248 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 85%.
Full Loyola University Chicago Communication & Journalism Report
Northern Illinois University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 191 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #15, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 627 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 44 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Springfield Communication & Journalism Report
Northeastern Illinois University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 73 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northeastern Illinois University
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #18. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 52 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Olivet Nazarene University Communication & Journalism Report
Blackburn College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Blackburn College is a small school located in Carlinville, Illinois that handed out 4 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
Lake Forest College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Communication & Journalism at Lake Forest College
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 124 ’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.
Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Communication & Journalism Report
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. SIUE 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.
Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Communication & Journalism Report
With a ranking of #23, North Central College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s communication and journalism degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Chicago State University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate 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
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 29 ’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Wheaton College Illinois
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
