2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 66,787 communication and media studies students received a degree or certificate, making the major the #10 most popular in the country.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 110 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best value experiences for communications students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 15% Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Western Illinois University the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WIU are $13,297 a year.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. SIUE is a large public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SIUE are $11,496 per year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, communications majors at SIUE accumulate an average of around $24,274 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $198, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Communication & Media Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Report
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a great value for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school located in the city of Oshkosh.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW Oshkosh are $15,306 a year. On average, communications graduates from UW Oshkosh take out $24,875 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Whitewater is a large public school located in the town of Whitewater.
UW - Whitewater undergraduate students pay an average of $16,602 in tuition and fees each year. On average, communications graduates from UW - Whitewater take out $23,720 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $260.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - Whitewater also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - La Crosse is a large public school located in the small city of La Crosse.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - La Crosse are $18,014 a year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at UW - La Crosse take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $21,686. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $113, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - La Crosse also did well on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Central Michigan University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan is a fairly large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Central Michigan are $13,094 a year. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $251, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Northern Illinois University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree communication and media studies programs. NIU is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NIU are $14,738 per year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from NIU carry an average student debtload of $27,694. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $199, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the distant town of River Falls, UW - River Falls is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - River Falls are $15,661 a year. Communications majors at UW - River Falls take out an average of $21,755 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
In addition to its great value ranking, UW - River Falls is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - River Falls Report
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With a ranking of #9, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the town of Charleston, EIU is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at EIU are $14,551 a year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at EIU take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $23,210. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $181, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the midsize suburb of Kenosha, UW - Parkside is a public college with a small student population.
UW - Parkside undergraduate students pay an average of $15,714 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at UW - Parkside take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $26,844.
Full Communication & Media Studies at University of Wisconsin - Parkside Report
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University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #11 on the list. UW - Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Stevens Point.
UW - Stevens Point undergraduate students pay an average of $17,035 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from UW - Stevens Point carry an average student debtload of $23,947. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $214.
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With a ranking of #12, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Eau Claire, UW - Eau Claire is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Eau Claire are $17,149 a year. On average, communications graduates from UW - Eau Claire take out $21,366 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
UW - Eau Claire also claimed a spot on our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
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University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Green Bay is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Green Bay.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Green Bay are $16,091 a year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, communications graduates from UW - Green Bay carry an average student debtload of $22,314.
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Eastern Michigan University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. Eastern Michigan is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Ypsilanti.
Eastern Michigan undergraduate students pay an average of $15,500 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that communications majors at Eastern Michigan take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $29,454. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $128, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Communication & Media Studies at Eastern Michigan University Report
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With a ranking of #15, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on this year’s best value schools for communication and media studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of Hammond, Purdue Northwest is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Purdue Northwest are $14,349 per year. Communications majors at Purdue Northwest take out an average of $29,272 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
Full Communication & Media Studies at Purdue University Northwest Report
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Illinois State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for communication and media studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Illinois State is a fairly large public school located in the midsize suburb of Normal.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Illinois State are $24,172 per year. On average, communications graduates from Illinois State take out $19,641 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $242.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Illinois State also is in the top 15% of our Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Full Communication & Media Studies at Illinois State University Report
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Communication & Media Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 18 | Purdue University - Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN |
| 19 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 20 | Miami University - Hamilton | Hamilton, OH |
| 21 | Indiana University - Kokomo | Kokomo, IN |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI |
| 22 | Purdue University Global | Indianapolis, IN |
Best Communication & Media Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best communication and media studies colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 1,789 |
| Ohio | 2,149 |
| Illinois | 2,072 |
| Indiana | 1,600 |
| Wisconsin | 1,297 |
More Communication & Media Studies Rankings in the Great Lakes Region
Communication & Media Studies Related Majors for Communications
Communication & Media Studies is one of 5 different types of programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Communications
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Relations & Advertising | 21,099 |
| Radio, Television & Digital Communication | 17,669 |
| Journalism | 13,552 |
| Communication & Journalism (Other) | 1,128 |
| Publishing | 336 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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