Freeport, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $35,860 to $50,903 per year for indexed programs. Freeport has a population of about 23,636. Median household income is $48,181 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $131,990 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Communications Schools to Freeport
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Freeport, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Freeport city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Freeport.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,808
Avg net price
$13,391/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 70%
- Programs offered: 92
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
48%
Graduation rate
56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,313
Avg net price
$18,558/yr
TuitionIn‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Key stats
- Retention rate: 66%
- Programs offered: 39
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$62,971
Avg net price
$22,736/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 82%
- Programs offered: 68
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$58,709
Avg net price
$18,838/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 77%
- Programs offered: 44
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,756
Avg net price
$26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$60,123
Avg net price
$21,044/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 70
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,987
Avg net price
$30,770/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 19
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,446
Avg net price
$22,313/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 68%
- Programs offered: 55
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois communications page.
Communications Wages Near Freeport
| Occupation |
Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide) |
| Public Relations Specialist |
$76,380 |
| Public Relations Manager |
$131,990 |
| News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist |
$60,590 |
| Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist |
$79,120 |
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.
Freeport at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
23,636 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$48,181 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
20.0% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Freeport-Area Cities With Communications Programs
- Rockford, IL – 29.3 mi away (286,727 pop)
- Machesney Park, IL – 31.6 mi away (22,873 pop)
- Loves Park, IL – 32.7 mi away (23,413 pop)
- Sterling, IL – 34.0 mi away (27,961 pop)
- Beloit, WI – 35.4 mi away (63,470 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited communications schools are near Freeport, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Freeport. The closest is Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL (32.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loras College (55.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying communications roles in Illinois?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles in Illinois are: Public Relations Manager ($131,990), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($79,120), Public Relations Specialist ($76,380). Wages for Freeport workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Rockford instead of Freeport?
Rockford, IL is 29.3 miles from Freeport 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 Freeport an affordable place to study communications?
Freeport’s median household income of $48,181 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Freeport 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
Other Programs Available in Freeport
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Freeport:
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- Chemistry programs in Freeport, IL
- Physics programs in Freeport, IL
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- Industrial Design programs in Freeport, IL
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- Instructional Design programs in Freeport, IL
- Higher Education Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Global Health programs in Freeport, IL
- Art History programs in Freeport, IL
- Creative Writing programs in Freeport, IL
- Environmental Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Nutrition programs in Freeport, IL
- Theology programs in Freeport, IL
- Library Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Freeport, IL
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Freeport, IL
- Medical Assistant programs in Freeport, IL
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Freeport, IL
- Health Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Freeport, IL
- Entrepreneurship programs in Freeport, IL
- Interior Design programs in Freeport, IL
- Photography programs in Freeport, IL
- Sustainability Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Freeport, IL
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Freeport, IL
- Journalism programs in Freeport, IL
- Public Relations programs in Freeport, IL
- Communication Disorders programs in Freeport, IL
- Speech Pathology programs in Freeport, IL
- Technical Communication programs in Freeport, IL
- Professional Writing programs in Freeport, IL
- Strategic Communications programs in Freeport, IL
- Business Development programs in Freeport, IL
- Construction Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Economics programs in Freeport, IL
- Financial Technology programs in Freeport, IL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Freeport, IL
- Health Information Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Hospitality Management programs in Freeport, IL
- International Business programs in Freeport, IL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Freeport, IL
- Management Information Systems programs in Freeport, IL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Operations Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Public Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Real Estate programs in Freeport, IL
- Recreation Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Retail Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Risk Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Statistics programs in Freeport, IL
- Taxation programs in Freeport, IL
- Corrections programs in Freeport, IL
- Crime Analysis programs in Freeport, IL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Criminology programs in Freeport, IL
- Cybercrime programs in Freeport, IL
- Emergency Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Fire Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Forensic Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Legal Services programs in Freeport, IL
- Legal Studies programs in Freeport, IL
- Paralegal programs in Freeport, IL
- Security Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Cloud Computing programs in Freeport, IL
- Computer Engineering programs in Freeport, IL
- Innovation programs in Freeport, IL
- Mobile App Development programs in Freeport, IL
- Software Development programs in Freeport, IL
- User Experience programs in Freeport, IL
- Web Development programs in Freeport, IL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Freeport, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Freeport, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Freeport, IL
- Public Health programs in Freeport, IL
- Human Resources programs in Freeport, IL
- Project Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Special Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Freeport, IL
- Marketing programs in Freeport, IL
- Finance programs in Freeport, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Freeport, IL
- Sports Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Biology programs in Freeport, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Freeport, IL
- Human Services programs in Freeport, IL
- MBA programs in Freeport, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Freeport, IL
- Nursing programs in Freeport, IL
- Business Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Computer Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Psychology programs in Freeport, IL
- Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Engineering programs in Freeport, IL
- Technology programs in Freeport, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Freeport, IL
- Healthcare programs in Freeport, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Freeport, IL
- Accounting programs in Freeport, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Social Work programs in Freeport, IL
- Counseling programs in Freeport, IL
Data verified: September 6, 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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