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2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

40 Ranked Colleges
1,833 Degrees Awarded
$12,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 “Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Communications is the 65th most popular major in the country with 11,861 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,002 communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,833 communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 40 colleges that offered a degree in communications. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent communications programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the communications program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communications (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 279 bachelors’s communication arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIUC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UIUC Communications Report

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 131 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Communications Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 141 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Whitewater, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,868 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Read more about Communications at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#4

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 90 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,446 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Communications Report

#15 in overall quality

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $11,337 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Parkside is a small public school situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It awarded 37 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Parkside is $6,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UW - Parkside Communications Report

#11 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Full UW - Eau Claire Communications Report

#8

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

Oakland University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 146 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Oakland has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $7,490 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Oakland Communications Report

#9

Albion College

Albion, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Albion College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Albion College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albion, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Albion also made our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Albion is $12,032 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at Albion College

#10 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication arts degrees to 86 students in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,648 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communications at University of Illinois at Chicago

#11

Saint Mary's College

Notre Dame, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

Saint Mary’s College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

St. Mary’s College also took the #5 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Mary’s College is $13,637 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Read full report on Communications at Saint Mary’s College

#12

The College of Wooster

Wooster, Ohio
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, The College of Wooster did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wooster College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wooster, Ohio. It awarded 27 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wooster College has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,942 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The College of Wooster.

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 87%.

Full Wooster College Communications Report

#13

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 41 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $12,350 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at EIU

#14

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication arts degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Springfield is $9,771 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at University of Illinois at Springfield

With a ranking of #15, University of Michigan - Flint did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Flint, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,955 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UM Flint.

Full University of Michigan - Flint Communications Report

#16

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Western Michigan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Western Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 1 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,021 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Western Michigan University.

Read more about Communications at WMU

#17

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

Taylor University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Taylor University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Upland, Indiana. It awarded 5 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Taylor U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Taylor U is $18,399 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Communications at Taylor University

#23 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kent State University at Kent is a large public school situated in Kent, Ohio. It awarded 198 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Kent State also took the #23 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kent State is $13,915 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at Kent State

#19

Wittenberg University

Springfield, Ohio
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Wittenberg University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Springfield, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication arts degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

Wittenberg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wittenberg University is $18,379 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at Wittenberg

With a ranking of #20, University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication arts degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of St. Francis Fort Wayne is $12,429 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Communications at University of St. Francis Fort Wayne

Miami University - Hamilton ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Hamilton is a public institution located in Hamilton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Hamilton is $8,993 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at Miami University - Hamilton

#22

Walsh University

North Canton, Ohio

With a ranking of #22, Walsh University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in North Canton, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communication arts students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Walsh is $12,864 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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 more about Communications at Walsh University

#23

Miami University - Middletown

Middletown, Ohio

With a ranking of #23, Miami University - Middletown did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Middletown is located in Middletown, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s communication arts degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Middletown is $11,810 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Communications at Miami University - Middletown

#24

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#3 in overall quality

Marquette University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Marquette is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 31 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Marquette did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Marquette University is $19,169 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communications at Marquette University

#25

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Bradley University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Communication Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Peoria, Illinois, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s communication arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,205 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bradley.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Bradley University Communications Report

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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.

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