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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in Illinois

19 Ranked Colleges
705 Degrees Awarded
$50,375 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois” ranking.

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. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 705 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,317 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer a degree 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Illinois

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

Top 19 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Journalism in Illinois

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 428 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate 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 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Northwestern University Communication & Journalism Report

2
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend DePaul University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 63 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at DePaul

3
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 17 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Eastern Illinois University

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northeastern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northeastern Illinois University

5
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 masters’s 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Illinois State

6

School of the Art Institute of Chicago came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

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.

Full School of the Art Institute of Chicago Communication & Journalism Report

7
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Columbia College Chicago 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 more about Communication & Journalism at Columbia

8

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Illinois at Springfield

9

With a ranking of #9, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at SIUE

10
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors 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 Illinois ranking. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Governors State University

11
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified masters’s communication and journalism students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Loyola University Chicago

12

Northern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Full Northern Illinois University Communication & Journalism Report

13

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 40 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UIUC

14

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #14. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Western Illinois University

15

With a ranking of #15, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 6 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

16
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 10 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UChicago

17

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communication and journalism degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

18
Adler crest
Adler University
Chicago, Illinois

Adler University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Adler University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 0 masters’s communication and journalism degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Adler Communication & Journalism Report

18
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Communication & Journalism Major in Illinois ranking. Roosevelt is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Roosevelt

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