15 colleges · Illinois
Journalism colleges in Illinois
15 colleges in Illinois offer a bachelor's degree in journalism (5 public). Graduates of the typical program here earned $40,991 a year after graduating, compared with $41,162 nationally.
All journalism programs in Illinois
Sorted by earnings four years after graduation. Click a heading to sort.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL | 36 | $44,423 | $67,539 | $15,750 |
| DePaul UniversityChicago, IL | 33 | $41,796 | $61,708 | $21,004 |
| Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL | 29 | $43,348 | $57,407 | $23,000 |
| Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL | 36 | $39,538 | $55,641 | $25,000 |
| Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL | 13 | n/a | $54,038 | $20,000 |
| Columbia College ChicagoChicago, IL | 34 | $40,991 | $51,639 | $25,562 |
| Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL | 13 | $37,867 | $50,658 | $21,500 |
| Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL | 24 | $34,541 | $49,880 | $18,333 |
| Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL | 15 | n/a | n/a | $26,000 |
| Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dominican UniversityRiver Forest, IL | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, IL | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Knox CollegeGalesburg, IL | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| North Central CollegeNaperville, IL | 13 | n/a | n/a | $27,000 |
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in Illinois offer journalism?
15 colleges in Illinois awarded bachelor's degrees in journalism in 2022-23 or 2023-24, 5 of them public.
Where do journalism graduates earn the most in Illinois?
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with median earnings of $67,539 four years after graduation (programs with at least 5 graduates).
Journalism nationwide · All colleges in Illinois
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.