Mount Prospect, Illinois has 16 accredited schools offering journalism programs, with tuition ranging from $21,315 to $68,322 per year for indexed programs. Mount Prospect has a population of about 55,648. Median household income is $103,911 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.6% 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 Mount Prospect
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer journalism programs near Mount Prospect, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect.
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
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
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
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 Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect 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.
Mount Prospect at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 55,648 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $103,911 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 48.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Mount Prospect-Area Cities With Journalism Programs
- Des Plaines, IL – 2.8 mi away (58,141 pop)
- Arlington Heights, IL – 3.1 mi away (75,525 pop)
- Rolling Meadows, IL – 4.6 mi away (24,021 pop)
- Wheeling, IL – 4.6 mi away (38,315 pop)
- Elk Grove Village, IL – 5.0 mi away (32,931 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited journalism schools are near Mount Prospect, IL?
Our directory has 16 accredited schools offering journalism programs near Mount Prospect. The closest is Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, IL (11.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Benedictine University (21.5 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying journalism roles near Mount Prospect?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying journalism-related roles near Mount Prospect 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 Des Plaines instead of Mount Prospect?
Des Plaines, IL is 2.8 miles from Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect an affordable place to study journalism?
Mount Prospect’s median household income of $103,911 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Mount Prospect:
- Public Relations programs in Mount Prospect, IL
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- Technical Communication programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Professional Writing programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Strategic Communications programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Business Development programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Construction Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Economics programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Financial Technology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Health Information Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Hospitality Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- International Business programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Management Information Systems programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Operations Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Public Administration programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Real Estate programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Recreation Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Retail Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Risk Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Statistics programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Taxation programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Corrections programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Crime Analysis programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Criminology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Cybercrime programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Emergency Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Fire Science programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Forensic Science programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Legal Services programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Legal Studies programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Paralegal programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Security Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Cloud Computing programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Computer Engineering programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Innovation programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Mobile App Development programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Software Development programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- User Experience programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Web Development programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Public Health programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Human Resources programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Project Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Special Education programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Marketing programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Finance programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Sports Management programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Biology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Communications programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Human Services programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- MBA programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Nursing programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Business Administration programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Computer Science programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Psychology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Education programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Engineering programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Technology programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Healthcare programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Accounting programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Social Work programs in Mount Prospect, IL
- Counseling programs in Mount Prospect, 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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