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Best Online Communications Programs in Rock Island, IL (2026)
Rock Island, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs, with tuition ranging from $36,658 to $68,134 per year for indexed programs. Rock Island has a population of about 36,758. Median household income is $57,292 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area, the top-earning communications-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $132,600 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Communications Schools to Rock Island
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer communications programs near Rock Island, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Rock Island 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 Rock Island
Rock Island is part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area (BLS area code 19340). 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 | $62,880 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $70,572 |
| Public Relations Manager | $132,600 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $148,822 |
| News Analyst, Reporter and Journalist | $60,590 | IL statewide | $68,002 |
| Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist | $71,590 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $80,348 |
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.
Rock Island at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,758 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $57,292 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Rock Island-Area Cities With Communications Programs
- Moline, IL – 4.8 mi away (42,250 pop)
- Davenport, IA – 6.0 mi away (288,233 pop)
- Bettendorf, IA – 8.6 mi away (35,727 pop)
- East Moline, IL – 10.7 mi away (21,135 pop)
- Muscatine, IA – 25.4 mi away (26,481 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited communications schools are near Rock Island, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering communications programs near Rock Island. The closest is Augustana College in Rock Island, IL (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Monmouth College (38.7 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying communications roles near Rock Island?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying communications-related roles near Rock Island are: Public Relations Manager ($132,600), Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist ($71,590), Public Relations Specialist ($62,880). 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 Moline instead of Rock Island?
Moline, IL is 4.8 miles from Rock Island 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 Rock Island an affordable place to study communications?
Rock Island’s median household income of $57,292 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rock Island 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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