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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism in Illinois (With Aid)

15 Ranked Colleges
465 Degrees Awarded
$22,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 12,336 people earned their degree in general journalism, making the major the 58th most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 614 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 465 general journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general journalism. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general journalism programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank General Journalism Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Journalism in Illinois (With Aid)

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 59 students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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 94%.

Read more about General Journalism at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s journalism degrees to 151 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $24,664 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid per year to attend Northwestern University.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern University General Journalism Report

#3

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,259 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid.

Full Northern Illinois University General Journalism Report

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#14 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 Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid list, EIU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for EIU is $14,607 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

Full Eastern Illinois University General Journalism Report

#12 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid list, SIUC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $16,945 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Read more about General Journalism at SIUC

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Illinois State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $20,895 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

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%.

Full Illinois State General Journalism Report

#7

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Western Illinois University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid list, WIU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $16,210 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid per year to attend WIU.

Read full report on General Journalism at WIU

#8

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Dominican University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Dominican U is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $19,268 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

The impressive 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.

Full Dominican University General Journalism Report

#9

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Augustana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rock Island, Illinois. It awarded 22 bachelors’s journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Augustana, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,874 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Full Augustana College General Journalism Report

#10

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

North Central College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Naperville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Central, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $24,786 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid per year to attend North Central College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Journalism at North Central

#11

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Chicago is $16,512 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

Read more about General Journalism at Concordia University, Chicago

#12

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $25,634 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 General Journalism at Bradley University

#13

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College Chicago is $31,099 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Journalism students with aid.

Full Columbia General Journalism Report

#14

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s journalism students in 2019-2020.

DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $30,090 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid per year to attend DePaul.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full DePaul University General Journalism Report

#15

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s journalism degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Chicago is $35,407 for illinois bachelor’s degree journalism students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Journalism at Loyola University Chicago

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jfurrer.

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