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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region

65 Ranked Colleges
1,472 Degrees Awarded
$48,977 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 the Great Lakes region, there were 17,907 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,371 and $25,050 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,472 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 65 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and journalism. That schools that top this list have a program in communication and journalism in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree communication & journalism students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism 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 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 428 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Northwestern

2
Spring Arbor crest
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Spring Arbor University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 17 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Full Spring Arbor University Communication & Journalism Report

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 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 186 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Communication & Journalism Report

4
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 65 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, DePaul University landed the #4 spot on the list. DePaul University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 63 masters’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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at DePaul University

5
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Andrews University
Berrien Springs, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Andrews University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Andrews University is located in Berrien Springs, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Andrews University

6
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at EIU

7
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 107 masters’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 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 full report on Communication & Journalism at Michigan State University

8

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Northeastern Illinois University

9
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 51 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Ball State University

10
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois State is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 44 masters’s communication and journalism degrees 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Illinois State University

11
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

With a ranking of #11, Valparaiso University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Valparaiso University is located in Valparaiso, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Valpo

12

School of the Art Institute of Chicago landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 School of the Art Institute of Chicago

13
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Columbia is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Columbia College Chicago

14

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Illinois at Springfield

15

Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 58 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Ohio University - Athens Campus

16
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Marquette is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Marquette Communication & Journalism Report

17

Purdue University Northwest landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue University Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 11 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Purdue University Northwest Communication & Journalism Report

18

With a ranking of #18, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Youngstown State University

19

The University of Findlay ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Findlay is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Findlay, Ohio. It awarded 5 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Findlay

20
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ashland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Ashland Communication & Journalism Report

21

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Communication & Journalism Report

22
John Carroll crest
John Carroll University
University Heights, Ohio

John Carroll University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in University Heights, Ohio, and it awarded 4 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at John Carroll

23

With a ranking of #23, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Communication & Journalism Report

24
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Governors State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in University Park, Illinois, and it awarded 5 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at GSU

25
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue University Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at PFW

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