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2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

12 Ranked Colleges
203 Degrees Awarded
$22,200 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Communications Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 68,079 communication and media studies students received their degree, making the major the 9th most popular in the country. 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 Illinois, there were 2,073 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,543 and $26,465 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 203 communication and media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree in communication and media studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great communication and media studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

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 Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 12 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 83 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northwestern Communication & Media Studies Report

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 2 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UIUC

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIS, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at University of Illinois at Springfield

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 15 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree communications students whose families make $48-$75k list, EIU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full EIU Communication & Media Studies Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 4 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036.

Full UIC Communication & Media Studies Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified masters’s communications students in 2019-2020.

SIUE also took the #7 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are $9,300, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 15 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Communication & Media Studies Report

#8

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Governors State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

GSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at GSU are $14,674.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at GSU

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s communications degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086.

Full NIU Communication & Media Studies Report

#10

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 23 masters’s communications degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Illinois State University

#11 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s communications students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032.

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

#12

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #12, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communications Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. DePaul is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s communications degrees to qualified students.

DePaul also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Media Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at DePaul University

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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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