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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

130 Ranked Colleges
8,125 Degrees Awarded
$32,111 Avg Salary
Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 68,079 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, communication and media studies is the 9th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication and media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,728 and had an average of $24,931 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 9,349 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,317 and $25,730 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,125 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 130 colleges that offer a degree in communication and media studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and media studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the communication and media studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Communication & Media Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 130 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 101 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $6,452 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Northwestern University Communication & Media Studies Report

Out of the 130 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 242 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,028 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 290 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,227 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 317 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 130 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 131 students in 2019-2020.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $9,654 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Purdue Communication & Media Studies Report

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 472 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #6 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,060 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 485 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k list, Ohio State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,982 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Ohio State University - Main Campus

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 103 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - La Crosse has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,304 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - La Crosse.

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

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 141 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater also took the #22 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,941 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#10

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 146 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $10,387 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Oakland

#11

Denison University

Granville, Ohio

Denison University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Granville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 78 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Denison, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Denison University is $22,652 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Denison Communication & Media Studies Report

#12

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,165 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Communication & Media Studies Report

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 86 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UIC is $13,683 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago

With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - Northwest did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Gary, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,473 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Northwest.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Indiana University - Northwest

#15

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $11,857 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at University of Illinois at Springfield

#16

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #10 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Wheaton College Illinois

#17

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 164 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,346 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Northern Illinois University

With a ranking of #18, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 128 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,705 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at SIUE

#19

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #19, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. River Falls, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,474 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UW - River Falls

#20

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Communication & Media Studies Report

#21

Albion College

Albion, Michigan

Albion College landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Albion College is a small school located in Albion, Michigan that handed out 26 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Albion College is $14,499 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Albion

#22

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 40 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $14,887 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Communication & Media Studies Report

#23

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for EIU is $13,560 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at EIU

#24

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lutheran College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. WLC is a small school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 10 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,317 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WLC.

Full Wisconsin Lutheran College Communication & Media Studies Report

With a ranking of #25, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school situated in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It awarded 37 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,236 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communications students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UW Oshkosh

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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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