14 Communication colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $63,391.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 14 Communication programs made the cut.
Northwestern University leads the rankings, producing Communication graduates earning $89,363 while maintaining a 90th percentile mobility score. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign follows at $81,054 with an exceptional 98th percentile mobility rating, proving that accessible programs can deliver premium outcomes.
Governors State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $58,169. Northwestern University delivers the best debt story: graduates face just a 6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability.
Earnings: $89,363 | Mobility: 90th percentile
52% Pell students with $58,169 earnings
6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
18% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | $15,000 | Excellent | $26,966 | Good | 90th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Good | $54,045 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $68,751 | $23,168 | Manageable | $41,563 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Good | $24,323 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Good | $28,767 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Lake Forest CollegePrivate | $61,825 | $26,158 | Good | $35,000 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $58,169 | $18,618 | Good | $13,991 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $57,808 | $22,162 | Challenging | $19,508 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Manageable | $21,500 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Manageable | $20,764 | High | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Manageable | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Good | $13,578 | Challenging | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $51,989 | $21,500 | Good | $17,781 | High | 74th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
