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Best Online Communications Programs in Des Plaines, IL (2026)
Des Plaines, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs. Des Plaines has a population of about 59,408. Median household income is $94,303 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $133,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Communications Schools to Des Plaines
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Des Plaines, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Des Plaines city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois communications page.
Communications Wages Near Des Plaines
Des Plaines is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $77,050 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $74,373 |
| Public Relations Manager | $133,210 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $128,581 |
| News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist | $70,350 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $67,905 |
| Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist | $80,400 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77,606 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Des Plaines at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,408 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $94,303 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 38.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Des Plaines-Area Cities With Communications Programs
- Mount Prospect, IL – 2.8 mi away (54,171 pop)
- Park Ridge, IL – 3.3 mi away (37,496 pop)
- Niles, IL – 4.7 mi away (29,617 pop)
- Elk Grove Village, IL – 5.1 mi away (32,931 pop)
- Glenview, IL – 5.3 mi away (47,475 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited communications schools are near Des Plaines, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Des Plaines. The closest is Illinois Media School in Chicago, IL (4.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Concordia University-Chicago (10.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying communications roles near Des Plaines?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Des Plaines are: Public Relations Manager ($133,210), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($80,400), Public Relations Specialist ($77,050). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Mount Prospect instead of Des Plaines?
Mount Prospect, IL is 2.8 miles from Des Plaines and has its own set of local communications programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Des Plaines an affordable place to study communications?
Des Plaines’s median household income of $94,303 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Des Plaines while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Communications Programs
- Is a Communications degree worth it?
- Main Communications degree guide
- Online Communications programs in Illinois
- Communications programs by state
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Data verified: August 10, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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