Machesney Park, Illinois has 20 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $4,977 to $45,726 per year for indexed programs. Machesney Park has a population of about 22,744. Median household income is $74,244 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rockford, IL metro area, the top-earning journalism-related role is Public Relations Specialist at a median $62,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Journalism Schools to Machesney Park
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Machesney Park, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Machesney Park 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 Machesney Park.
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: 42
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
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
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
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
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
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois journalism page.
Journalism Wages Near Machesney Park
Machesney Park is part of the Rockford, IL metro area (BLS area code 40420). 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 | $60,590 | IL statewide | $65,716 |
| Editor | $59,380 | Rockford, IL | $64,403 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $62,500 | Rockford, IL | $67,787 |
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.
Machesney Park at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 22,744 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $74,244 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 18.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 92.2 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Machesney Park-Area Cities With Journalism Programs
- Loves Park, IL – 2.6 mi away (23,413 pop)
- Rockford, IL – 7.7 mi away (286,727 pop)
- Beloit, WI – 10.8 mi away (63,470 pop)
- Belvidere, IL – 11.3 mi away (25,070 pop)
- Janesville, WI – 22.0 mi away (70,299 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited journalism schools are near Machesney Park, IL?
Our directory has 20 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Machesney Park. The closest is Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, IL (32.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Concordia University-Chicago (70.2 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Machesney Park?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Machesney Park are: Public Relations Specialist ($62,500), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($60,590), Editor ($59,380). 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 Loves Park instead of Machesney Park?
Loves Park, IL is 2.6 miles from Machesney Park 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 Machesney Park an affordable place to study journalism?
Machesney Park’s median household income of $74,244 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Machesney Park 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 Machesney Park
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Machesney Park:
- Public Relations programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Communication Disorders programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Speech Pathology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Technical Communication programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Professional Writing programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Strategic Communications programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Business Development programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Construction Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Economics programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Financial Technology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Health Information Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Hospitality Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- International Business programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Management Information Systems programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Operations Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Public Administration programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Real Estate programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Recreation Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Retail Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Risk Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Statistics programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Taxation programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Corrections programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Crime Analysis programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Criminology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Cybercrime programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Emergency Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Fire Science programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Forensic Science programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Legal Services programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Legal Studies programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Paralegal programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Security Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Cloud Computing programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Computer Engineering programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Innovation programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Mobile App Development programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Software Development programs in Machesney Park, IL
- User Experience programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Web Development programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Public Health programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Human Resources programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Project Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Special Education programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Marketing programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Finance programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Sports Management programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Biology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Communications programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Human Services programs in Machesney Park, IL
- MBA programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Nursing programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Business Administration programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Computer Science programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Psychology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Education programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Engineering programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Technology programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Healthcare programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Accounting programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Social Work programs in Machesney Park, IL
- Counseling programs in Machesney Park, 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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