Mahadev Maitri Foundation
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Best Communication & Journalism Colleges in Illinois

53 accredited institutions in Illinois offering communication & journalism programs, ranked by annual graduates (IPEDS 2023–24).

53
Colleges
8,808
Graduates/yr
18
Public
Bachelor's
Top Degree

Ranked: Communication & Journalism Programs in Illinois

1
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign
1,545
Graduates/yr
44%
Acceptance
$14,768
In-State Tuition
85%
Grad Rate
View →
2
Private NonprofitMaster's
Northwestern University
Evanston
1,323
Graduates/yr
7%
Acceptance
$64,887
Tuition
96%
Grad Rate
$3,393
Net Price <$30K
View →
3
Private NonprofitBachelor's
DePaul University
Chicago
894
Graduates/yr
74%
Acceptance
$43,379
Tuition
70%
Grad Rate
$25,281
Net Price <$30K
View →
4
PublicBachelor's
Illinois State University
Normal
786
Graduates/yr
89%
Acceptance
$11,000
In-State Tuition
66%
Grad Rate
View →
5
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago
687
Graduates/yr
81%
Acceptance
$50,270
Tuition
76%
Grad Rate
$29,189
Net Price <$30K
View →
6
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago
348
Graduates/yr
91%
Acceptance
$30,734
Tuition
48%
Grad Rate
$21,045
Net Price <$30K
View →
7
PublicBachelor's
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb
321
Graduates/yr
70%
Acceptance
$9,792
In-State Tuition
50%
Grad Rate
View →
8
PublicBachelor's
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston
294
Graduates/yr
68%
Acceptance
$9,624
In-State Tuition
45%
Grad Rate
View →
9
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago
276
Graduates/yr
79%
Acceptance
$12,656
In-State Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
View →
10
PublicBachelor's
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville
252
Graduates/yr
97%
Acceptance
$8,846
In-State Tuition
53%
Grad Rate
View →
11
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Bradley University
Peoria
216
Graduates/yr
77%
Acceptance
$39,248
Tuition
72%
Grad Rate
$17,128
Net Price <$30K
View →
12
PublicBachelor's
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale
180
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$9,638
In-State Tuition
54%
Grad Rate
View →
13
PublicBachelor's
Western Illinois University
Macomb
162
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$9,359
In-State Tuition
45%
Grad Rate
View →
14
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield
117
Graduates/yr
84%
Acceptance
$9,865
In-State Tuition
61%
Grad Rate
View →
15
PublicBachelor's
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
105
Graduates/yr
70%
Acceptance
$10,343
In-State Tuition
17%
Grad Rate
View →
16
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais
99
Graduates/yr
67%
Acceptance
$36,950
Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
$16,024
Net Price <$30K
View →
17
Private NonprofitBachelor's
North Central College
Naperville
90
Graduates/yr
58%
Acceptance
$44,114
Tuition
71%
Grad Rate
$24,087
Net Price <$30K
View →
18
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Wheaton College
Wheaton
90
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$43,670
Tuition
87%
Grad Rate
$17,110
Net Price <$30K
View →
19
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Augustana College
Rock Island
84
Graduates/yr
68%
Acceptance
$49,674
Tuition
79%
Grad Rate
$10,202
Net Price <$30K
View →
20
PublicBachelor's
Governors State University
University Park
72
Graduates/yr
$7,872
In-State Tuition
20%
Grad Rate
View →
21
Private NonprofitMaster's
University of Chicago
Chicago
72
Graduates/yr
5%
Acceptance
$63,801
Tuition
95%
Grad Rate
$958
Net Price <$30K
View →
22
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Aurora University
Aurora
69
Graduates/yr
85%
Acceptance
$28,000
Tuition
58%
Grad Rate
$15,022
Net Price <$30K
View →
23
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lewis University
Romeoville
63
Graduates/yr
73%
Acceptance
$37,592
Tuition
62%
Grad Rate
$10,744
Net Price <$30K
View →
24
Private NonprofitBachelor's
National Louis University
Chicago
60
Graduates/yr
93%
Acceptance
$13,776
Tuition
37%
Grad Rate
$13,834
Net Price <$30K
View →
25
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Benedictine University
Lisle
54
Graduates/yr
77%
Acceptance
$31,028
Tuition
51%
Grad Rate
$22,419
Net Price <$30K
View →
26
PublicAssociate's
Parkland College
Champaign
45
Graduates/yr
$9,072
In-State Tuition
View →
27
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Saint Xavier University
Chicago
45
Graduates/yr
86%
Acceptance
$35,680
Tuition
59%
Grad Rate
$9,778
Net Price <$30K
View →
28
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
42
Graduates/yr
59%
Acceptance
$53,300
Tuition
70%
Grad Rate
$17,663
Net Price <$30K
View →
29
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Monmouth College
Monmouth
39
Graduates/yr
87%
Acceptance
$43,320
Tuition
57%
Grad Rate
$15,459
Net Price <$30K
View →
30
Private NonprofitBachelor's
North Park University
Chicago
39
Graduates/yr
73%
Acceptance
$34,685
Tuition
56%
Grad Rate
$17,420
Net Price <$30K
View →
31
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights
33
Graduates/yr
89%
Acceptance
$19,800
Tuition
64%
Grad Rate
$10,997
Net Price <$30K
View →
32
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Dominican University
River Forest
27
Graduates/yr
80%
Acceptance
$37,194
Tuition
62%
Grad Rate
$16,033
Net Price <$30K
View →
33
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Millikin University
Decatur
27
Graduates/yr
54%
Acceptance
$42,778
Tuition
59%
Grad Rate
$3,367
Net Price <$30K
View →
34
Private NonprofitBachelor's
University of St Francis
Joliet
24
Graduates/yr
64%
Acceptance
$37,000
Tuition
65%
Grad Rate
$14,515
Net Price <$30K
View →
35
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest
24
Graduates/yr
93%
Acceptance
$35,200
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$15,860
Net Price <$30K
View →
36
PublicAssociate's
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn
24
Graduates/yr
$9,510
In-State Tuition
View →
37
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Principia College
Elsah
18
Graduates/yr
44%
Acceptance
$32,250
Tuition
76%
Grad Rate
View →
38
Private NonprofitBachelor's
McKendree University
Lebanon
15
Graduates/yr
64%
Acceptance
$32,660
Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
$19,286
Net Price <$30K
View →
39
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst
15
Graduates/yr
76%
Acceptance
$41,258
Tuition
65%
Grad Rate
$17,050
Net Price <$30K
View →
40
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lincoln Christian University
Lincoln
12
Graduates/yr
$15,300
Tuition
54%
Grad Rate
$9,615
Net Price <$30K
View →
41
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Quincy University
Quincy
12
Graduates/yr
50%
Acceptance
$35,740
Tuition
43%
Grad Rate
$13,187
Net Price <$30K
View →
42
PublicAssociate's
College of Lake County
Grayslake
12
Graduates/yr
$9,872
In-State Tuition
View →
43
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Judson University
Elgin
12
Graduates/yr
63%
Acceptance
$29,850
Tuition
53%
Grad Rate
$16,882
Net Price <$30K
View →
44
PublicAssociate's
Lake Land College
Mattoon
12
Graduates/yr
$7,139
In-State Tuition
View →
45
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Eureka College
Eureka
12
Graduates/yr
88%
Acceptance
$27,450
Tuition
39%
Grad Rate
$14,640
Net Price <$30K
View →
46
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Trinity International University-Illinois
Deerfield
12
Graduates/yr
93%
Acceptance
$11,760
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$13,948
Net Price <$30K
View →
47
PublicBachelor's
Chicago State University
Chicago
12
Graduates/yr
41%
Acceptance
$8,040
In-State Tuition
17%
Grad Rate
View →
48
PublicAssociate's
Lewis and Clark Community College
Godfrey
9
Graduates/yr
$9,000
In-State Tuition
View →
49
PublicAssociate's
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
Chicago
9
Graduates/yr
$11,520
In-State Tuition
View →
50
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Roosevelt University
Chicago
6
Graduates/yr
94%
Acceptance
$20,000
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$19,186
Net Price <$30K
View →
51
Private NonprofitMaster's
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago
6
Graduates/yr
76%
Acceptance
$51,624
Tuition
64%
Grad Rate
$41,516
Net Price <$30K
View →
52
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Illinois College
Jacksonville
3
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$36,870
Tuition
61%
Grad Rate
$12,642
Net Price <$30K
View →
53
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Knox College
Galesburg
3
Graduates/yr
71%
Acceptance
$54,768
Tuition
68%
Grad Rate
$19,700
Net Price <$30K
View →

Studying Communication & Journalism in Illinois

Illinois has 53 accredited colleges offering communication & journalism programs, producing 8,808 graduates annually. Of these, 18 are public institutions with subsidized in-state tuition for Illinois residents.

When evaluating programs, consider accreditation, internship placement rates, and faculty expertise. Always file the FAFSA — the net price after grants can be dramatically lower than sticker tuition, especially at public institutions.

← All colleges in Illinois← All states

Data source: Graduate counts from IPEDS 2023–24 C2023_A Completions survey (NCES). Tuition, acceptance rate, and graduation rate from IPEDS HD2023, ADM2023, DRVGR2023.