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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois

44 Ranked Colleges
1,626 Degrees Awarded
$33,037 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2021-2022, 62,855 communication & media studies students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In , communication & media studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $34,194 and had an average of $23,803 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 1,757 communication & media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,207 and $23,628 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,626 communication & media studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,374 and $23,086 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 44 colleges that offer a degree in communication & media studies. That schools that top this list have a program in communication & media studies 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 Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Communication & Media Studies in Illinois

1
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Principia College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois. Elsah, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Principia College Communication & Media Studies Report

2
Eureka College crest
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eureka College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. This small school is located in Eureka, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Eureka College

3
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Out of the 44 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Augustana College landed the #3 spot on the list. Augustana College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, 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%.

Full Augustana Communication & Media Studies Report

4
Blackburn crest
Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Blackburn College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois. Located in Carlinville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a undergrad 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 Communication & Media Studies at Blackburn College

5
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lake Forest College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lake Forest, Illinois. It awarded 30 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at Lake Forest College

6

Northern Illinois University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 114 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

7

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 full report on Communication & Media Studies at UIS

8
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 35 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Wheaton College Illinois

9
Monmouth crest
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Monmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. This small school is located in Monmouth, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.

Full Monmouth Communication & Media Studies Report

10

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at WIU

11

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 57 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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

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

12

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full SIUE Communication & Media Studies Report

13

Illinois State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 156 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Illinois State University

14
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #14. Olivet Nazarene is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 34 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Olivet Nazarene University

15
North Park crest
North Park University
Chicago, Illinois

North Park University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. North Park University is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 11 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at North Park University

16
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. GSU is located in University Park, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at GSU

17
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 122 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 & Media Studies at DePaul

18
Trinity Christian crest
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. Trinity Christian College is a small school located in Palos Heights, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at Trinity Christian College

19
SXU crest
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communications degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at SXU

20

Trinity International University - Illinois came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Trinity International University - Illinois is located in Deerfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s communications degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Trinity International University - Illinois Communication & Media Studies Report

21

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 315 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

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

Read full report on Communication & Media Studies at UIUC

22
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

With a ranking of #22, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. EIU is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

23
Millikin crest
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Decatur, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Millikin University Communication & Media Studies Report

24

With a ranking of #24, Lincoln Christian University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. Lincoln Christian College and Seminary is a small school located in Lincoln, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s communications degrees in 2021-2022.

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 & Media Studies at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary

25
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Communications Major in Illinois list. Located in Aurora, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s communications students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Media Studies at Aurora University

Notes and References

References

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