Arlington Heights, Illinois has 18 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $21,315 to $68,322 per year for indexed programs. Arlington Heights has a population of about 76,220. Median household income is $118,532 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 60.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning journalism-related role is Editor at a median $80,380 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Journalism Schools to Arlington Heights
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Arlington Heights, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Arlington Heights 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 Arlington Heights.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,462
Avg net price
$24,185/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 44
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$60,327
Avg net price
$11,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 30
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,530
Avg net price
$36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 79
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,751
Avg net price
$30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 84
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: 35
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$42,195
Avg net price
$26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 24
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$40,151
Avg net price
$49,790/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 4
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
71%
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$66,099
Avg net price
$17,028/yr
TuitionIn‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Key stats- Retention rate: 81%
- Programs offered: 59
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois journalism page.
Journalism Wages Near Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights 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) |
|---|
| News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist | $70,350 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $67,905 |
| Editor | $80,380 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77,587 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $77,050 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $74,373 |
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.
Arlington Heights at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 76,220 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $118,532 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 60.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Arlington Heights-Area Cities With Journalism Programs
- Rolling Meadows, IL – 2.6 mi away (24,021 pop)
- Mount Prospect, IL – 3.1 mi away (54,171 pop)
- Palatine, IL – 3.5 mi away (68,766 pop)
- Wheeling, IL – 3.9 mi away (38,315 pop)
- Buffalo Grove, IL – 5.1 mi away (41,346 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited journalism schools are near Arlington Heights, IL?
Our directory has 18 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Arlington Heights. The closest is Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, IL (13.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Roosevelt University (23.8 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Arlington Heights?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Arlington Heights are: Editor ($80,380), Public Relations Specialist ($77,050), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($70,350). 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 Rolling Meadows instead of Arlington Heights?
Rolling Meadows, IL is 2.6 miles from Arlington Heights and has its own set of local journalism programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Arlington Heights an affordable place to study journalism?
Arlington Heights’s median household income of $118,532 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Arlington Heights 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 Journalism Programs
Other Programs Available in Arlington Heights
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Arlington Heights:
- Public Relations programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Communication Disorders programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Speech Pathology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Technical Communication programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Professional Writing programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Strategic Communications programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Business Development programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Construction Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Economics programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Financial Technology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Health Information Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Hospitality Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- International Business programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Management Information Systems programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Operations Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Public Administration programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Real Estate programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Recreation Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Retail Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Risk Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Statistics programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Taxation programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Corrections programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Crime Analysis programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Criminology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Cybercrime programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Emergency Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Fire Science programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Forensic Science programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Legal Services programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Legal Studies programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Paralegal programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Security Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Cloud Computing programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Computer Engineering programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Innovation programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Mobile App Development programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Software Development programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- User Experience programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Web Development programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Public Health programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Human Resources programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Project Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Special Education programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Marketing programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Finance programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Sports Management programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Biology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Communications programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Human Services programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- MBA programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Nursing programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Business Administration programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Computer Science programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Psychology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Education programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Engineering programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Technology programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Healthcare programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Accounting programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Social Work programs in Arlington Heights, IL
- Counseling programs in Arlington Heights, IL
Data verified: August 11, 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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