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

147 Ranked Colleges
14,850 Degrees Awarded
$31,686 Avg Salary
Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 121,387 people earned their degree in communication and journalism, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, communication and journalism graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,549 and had an average of $24,893 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 18,381 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,631 and $25,490 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 14,850 communication and journalism graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 147 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in communication and journalism. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality communication and journalism 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 journalism program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The communication & journalism school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Communication & Journalism 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 communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 354 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,452 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern Communication & Journalism Report

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 242 students in 2019-2020.

U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 147 schools in the Best Value Communication & Journalism 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 Wisconsin - Madison landed the #3 spot on the list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 523 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $13,227 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UW - Madison

#4 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 #4 for the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 623 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at UIUC

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 131 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #15 spot in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $9,654 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Purdue Communication & Journalism Report

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 616 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $12,060 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at IU Bloomington

#10 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 563 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Ohio State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,982 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Ohio State

#14 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 103 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - La Crosse has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,304 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 86%.

Full University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Communication & Journalism Report

#9

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $11,869 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Franklin University Communication & Journalism Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 187 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater also made our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,941 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Communication & Journalism Report

#11

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#5 in overall quality

Denison University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Denison University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Granville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Denison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Denison is $22,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive 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 & Journalism at Denison University

#12

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism 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 communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,165 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#13

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 92 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,474 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism 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 & Journalism at UW - River Falls

#14

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Oakland University is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 186 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,387 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland University.

Full Oakland Communication & Journalism Report

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $13,683 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism 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 more about Communication & Journalism at UIC

Indiana University - Northwest did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in Gary, Indiana, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $9,473 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at IU Northwest

#17

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $11,857 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at UIS

#18

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Communication & Journalism Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at Wheaton College Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 128 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $13,705 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at SIUE

#20

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 95 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,887 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Eau Claire.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

#21

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #21, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 52 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#22

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #22, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 192 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,346 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Northern Illinois University

#23

Albion College

Albion, Michigan

Albion College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Albion, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Albion is $14,499 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Albion Communication & Journalism Report

#24

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 307 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s communication and journalism students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,775 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Communication & Journalism students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend GVSU.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Communication & Journalism at Grand Valley State University

University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Communication & Journalism Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. UW - Parkside is a small school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 37 bachelors’s communication and journalism degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $12,166 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree communication & journalism students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Communication & Journalism at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

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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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