Best colleges for Communication and Media Studies in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
Northwestern University, Lake Forest College and Wheaton College are the top bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. Northwestern University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $52,210, College Scorecard. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois State University and DePaul University award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Illinois: 238, 154 and 137 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 Illinois colleges offer Communication and Media Studies and award 1,417 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $52,210 | 84 | 95% | $14,799 | $18,112 |
| 2 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,835 | 20 | 78% | $25,052 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Wheaton College Wheaton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,321 | 26 | 85% | $23,461 | $23,250 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,912 | 81 | 62% | — | $20,750 |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,490 | 99 | 49% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,125 | 154 | 65% | — | $20,125 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,808 | 238 | 85% | — | $19,500 |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,778 | 62 | 47% | — | $26,000 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,569 | 104 | 57% | — | $21,759 |
| 10 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,453 | 137 | 68% | $28,141 | $22,916 |
Colleges awarding the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 238 | $37,808 |
| 2 | Illinois State University Normal Public | 154 | $38,125 |
| 3 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 137 | $34,453 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public | 104 | $36,569 |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public | 99 | $38,490 |
| 6 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit | 84 | $52,210 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public | 81 | $38,912 |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston Public | 62 | $37,778 |
| 9 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 39 | $31,495 |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public | 36 | $32,465 |
ShowHide the other 27 Illinois colleges offering Communication and Media Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 46 |
| University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield | Public | 35 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | 28 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Aurora University | Aurora | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Governors State University | University Park | Public | 22 |
| Saint Xavier University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Lake Forest College | Lake Forest | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| National Louis University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| McKendree University | Lebanon | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| DeVry University - Illinois (Online) | Lisle | Private for-profit | 13 |
| Columbia College Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| North Park University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Concordia University - Chicago | River Forest | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Principia College | Elsah | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Eureka College | Eureka | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| University of St Francis | Joliet | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Millikin University | Decatur | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Monmouth College | Monmouth | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| North Central College | Naperville | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Judson University | Elgin | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Blackburn College | Carlinville | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Bradley University | Peoria | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Dominican University | River Forest | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Communication and Media Studies programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees?+
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (238 graduates a year), Illinois State University (154 graduates a year) and DePaul University (137 graduates a year) award the most Communication and Media Studies degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 Illinois colleges offer Communication and Media Studies.
What is the best college for Communication and Media Studies in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, Northwestern University leads among bachelor's Communication and Media Studies programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $52,210, College Scorecard. Lake Forest College and Wheaton College follow. By degrees awarded, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the largest, with 238 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Communication and Media Studies program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Northwestern University tops the list at $52,210. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Illinois is $86,060 (median $76,380), across about 6,200 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Communication and Media Studies program?+
The Communication and Media Studies program focuses on the processes of human communication and behavior, exploring how individuals and groups exchange ideas and information across various media. This program is designed for students…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, speaking, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Public Relations Specialists?+
The national job outlook is about +4.8% growth with around 27,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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