Illinois is one of the most highly educated states in the nation, and yet there's industry demand to increase the number of degree holders. By 2020, 70 percent of jobs in Illinois are expected to require at least some education after high school, according to a Georgetown University study. Earning an online degree can help you be prepared to meet that need, whether you're currently a stay-at-home parent, employed but looking for a higher-skill and higher-wage job, or ready to take your first steps toward a career.
Here's an overview of what Illinois has to offer prospective online students:
State leaders in Illinois are working to expand access to higher education so that more high school graduates can complete college. The result of these efforts? A tremendous growth in online offerings. One example is the development of Illinois Community Colleges Online, a collective of 32 schools that share online courses and programs in order to help students anywhere in the state meet their educational goals.
In this guide, we've provided more details about online colleges in Illinois as well as rankings to help you compare schools, tips on paying for school, analysis of key industries in the state and more.
Our rankings of top online colleges in Illinois are meant to help you make an informed decision about your future. All schools displayed in our rankings have achieved accreditation at the institutional and/or programmatic level from official accrediting agencies such as the Higher Learning Commission or the Illinois State Board of Education. Read about accreditation and why it matters on our page "What is College Accreditation?" or visit the Illinois State Board of Education's website. To learn more about the factors we chose and why we chose them, please visit the "What Makes a Good Online College?" section of our "About Us" page.
With such a big pool of online colleges in Illinois to choose from, how are you going to find the right choice for you? Fear not: in addition to ranking these schools, we display data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) on each -- including tuition costs, school type and number of online programs offered -- so you can assess which online colleges might be best for your needs. Visit our methodologies page to learn more about how we use official data to evaluate schools.
Here is a list of the most affordable two- and four-year online colleges in Illinois, ranked in order by their reported in-state tuition costs. Data was compiled by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), part of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Students who choose to study in Illinois have a number of financial aid options beyond what is offered by the federal government. With various state scholarship and grant programs, Illinois students — even those who attend school online — can reduce their total college expenses.
For example, the University of Illinois provided $13.4 million in institutional merit scholarships and $11.2 million in need-based grants and scholarships in 2014-2015. That represents 53 percent of the school’s financial aid offerings, with loans and work-study comprising the rest.
Considering that the average debt for graduating Illinois students is $28,984 according to the Institute for College Access and Success, finding ways to offset the cost of college is necessary to help make degree programs more affordable.
That being said, here are some Illinois-based financial aid programs to explore if you're considering a program of study in the Prairie State.
Illinois scholarship programs are open to a wide array of students. Here are a few examples:
Be sure to read the Ultimate Guide to Grants for advice and strategies on finding grants.
Although Illinois did have the Capstone Loan Program at one time, there is no longer a state-based student loan program. Students seeking loans are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA to qualify for federal loans.
Learn more about student loans in the Ultimate Guide to Student Loans.
If you have your eye on an online college in Illinois but live out of state, you may be worried about paying non-resident tuition rates. To pay lower in-state tuition rates, you generally have to live in Illinois for 12 consecutive months prior to applying for admission at a state institution.
You could move to the state prior to taking classes if you have a job that allows you to easily relocate. Otherwise, look for one of the many ways out-of-state students can get reduced tuition at Illinois schools. For example, Illinois State University gives in-state tuition to students who are:
Other schools, such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, don't take residency into consideration for online programs. Residents and non-residents pay the same price for online courses.
The Midwest Student Exchange Program is another way to reduce out-of-state tuition. Participating public schools in 10 states agree to cap non-resident tuition at 150 percent of in-state rates for eligible students. Meanwhile, private schools may offer a 10 percent discount for eligible out-of-state students.
Learn more about residency and out-of-state tuition at the links below. And talk to your admissions counselor to find out what other scholarships and resources might be available to you.
| Employment | Employment Growth | Median High School Salary | Median Bachelor's Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,365,060 | 5.8% | $31,011 | $56,753 |
*Industry rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
| Top Industries | Employment | Projected Growth | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets (except copyrighted works) | 1,791,360 | 5% | $72,744 |
| Postal service | 1,839,970 | 5% | $68,979 |
| Monetary authorities-central bank | 1,337,990 | 6% | $77,784 |
| Air transportation | 2,422,610 | 6% | $66,450 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 4,403,660 | 6% | $64,572 |
| Rail transportation | 2,558,070 | 5% | $67,659 |
| Broadcasting (except Internet) | 2,225,910 | 4% | $67,110 |
| Data processing, hosting, and related services | 2,478,350 | 4% | $69,894 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 4,782,820 | 5% | $63,836 |
| Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities | 2,329,460 | 4% | $68,189 |
Illinois has a reputation as a state full of innovation and entrepreneurs, being the birthplace of inventions such as the zipper and the cellphone, as well as the origin of companies such as Crate & Barrel, Discover Card and Kraft Foods. With blossoming entrepreneurial minds flocking to Chicago and other areas of Illinois, eager to turn their ideas into reality, it's no surprise that lessors of intangible assets -- professionals who can assign patents, trademarks and other rights to their asset holders -- makes the top of our list of best industries in Illinois.
Many other industries find fertile ground in Illinois thanks to the state's creative spirit. Monetary authorities are needed to arrange loans for new businesses; data processing and hosting is a must in the age of the global economy; and securities and commodity contracts work to combat cybercrime, protecting businesses both new and old.
That being said, an education is becoming a necessity in order for people to fill many of the jobs in the large sectors of the state. As stated above, 70 percent of jobs in Illinois may soon require a college education. This has made it important for the state to help workers earn the training they need to keep up with job market shifts.With this in mind, the state has created initiatives designed to help people meet employment requirements. For example, the Employment Opportunities Grant Program (EOGP) is offering grants for educational institutions and community organizations to provide training for careers in building trade occupations, which can be the foundation for further educational and career advancement. Illinois is also creating college-level bridge programs that can help people more easily complete their higher education, helping them to learn academic and technical skills that can help them be successful.
To learn about the high-performing careers in Illinois based on specific metro areas within the state, read on.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area has several thriving key industries, including the financial services sector. With companies like Morningstar, Avant, Braintree, and CapitalOne expanding in the city, there is plenty of potential for Chicago's financial managers to find opportunities. Also, with some of the employers in the city including huge companies like FedEx, Leo Burnett Group, Ernst & Young, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, there are many employment possibilities for all kinds of managers, including sales managers, marketing managers, and advertising and promotions managers.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $195,060 | 7,240 |
| Financial Managers | Bachelor's degree | $153,840 | 34,540 |
| Marketing Managers | Bachelor's degree | $135,450 | 19,570 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | Bachelor's degree | $126,320 | 1,650 |
| Sales Managers | Bachelor's degree | $139,040 | 22,400 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
The Rockford area has many opportunities for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and family and general practitioners, thanks to the strong local health care sector. This region has organizations such as Beloit Health System, OSF Healthcare, University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, and Mercyhealth, so people interested in the health care field have no shortage of options.
Rockford's manufacturing industry has also been growing in recent years. In fact, according to the Rockford Register Star, the manufacturing jobs that have been created since 2010 have helped to lower the unemployment rate of the area. As a result, general and operations managers and industrial production managers may want to consider their options at places like Specialty Screw Corp., Fiat Chrysler Automotive and Woods Equipment.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | Master's degree | $119,450 | 290 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | Doctoral or professional degree | $276,590 | 290 |
| Industrial Production Managers | Bachelor's degree | $98,680 | 580 |
| Physician Assistants | Master's degree | $118,910 | 110 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $98,620 | 2,890 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
With so many industrial companies in Peoria, it's no surprise that this area lends itself well to opportunities in management. Caterpillar Inc., Keystone Steel and Wire and O'Brien Steel are located in Peoria, which makes it a great place for general and operations managers who are looking for jobs. Also, Citizens Equity First Credit Union and RLI Corp. are headquartered here, so financial managers may be able to find positions available at these organizations.
However, Rochester is also packed with tech startups, including CloudCheckr, OLEDWorks, and Token. These startups utilize systems software developers to make their impact on the market, making the software development field one of the best jobs in Rochester.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $103,280 | 1,200 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | High school diploma or equivalent | $130,500 | 370 |
| Financial Managers | Bachelor's degree | $125,120 | 880 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $109,610 | 3,280 |
| Purchasing Managers | Bachelor's degree | N/A | 160 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.