2023 Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 62 schools in Illinois to see which ones had the most popular online programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from schools with online programs.
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Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these popular schools with online programs:
Our analysis found DeVry University - Illinois to be the most popular school for students in Illinois. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the large private for-profit school handed out 6,865 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from DeVry University - Illinois accumulate an average of $40,148 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $163 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from DeVry University - Illinois, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $48,020 during the early years of their career. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
Out of the 62 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, William Rainey Harper College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,517 degrees to qualified students.
Degree recipients from Harper College accumulate an average of $15,850 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Harper College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $43,420 during the early years of their career. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.
The programs at Waubonsee Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in Illinois. Located in Sugar Grove, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,602 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,413 in student loans.After graduating from Waubonsee, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $34,527 during the early years of their career. Around 54% of those degree recipients were women.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. Harold Washington College is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 2,139 degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $9,601 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Harold Washington College graduates make an average of $25,960 annually. Around 65% of those degree recipients were women.
Read full report on City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College
The programs at Southern Illinois University Carbondale helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in Illinois. This fairly large public school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 3,453 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from SIUC accumulate an average of $23,594 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $165 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, SIUC graduates make an average of $42,413 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 48% were women.
Loyola University Chicago did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 5,599 degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $22,930 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $652.After graduating from Loyola Chicago, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,459 during the early years of their career. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
Heartland Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 1,191 students in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $14,312 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Heartland Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $33,516 during the early year of their career. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
With a ranking of #8, Western Illinois University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 2,171 students in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $28,617 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $266. During the early years of their career, WIU graduates make an average of $38,708 annually. Around 56% of those degree recipients were women.
National Louis University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular programs. NLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,175 degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,209 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $479 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, NLU graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $48,291 during the early year of their career. Around 78% of those degree recipients were women.
Chamberlain University - Illinois came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Chamberlain University - Illinois is a large private for-profit school located in Addison, Illinois that handed out 12,793 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from Chamberlain - Illinois accumulate an average of $37,103 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $256 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Chamberlain - Illinois graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $83,241 during the early year of their career. Around 90% of those degree recipients were women.
Black Hawk College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Moline, Illinois, the small public school awarded 920 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from BHC accumulate an average of $14,141 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from BHC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $38,746 during the early years of their career. Around 64% of those degree recipients were women.
Southwestern Illinois College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. Belleville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 2,363 students in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $12,518 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, SWIC graduates make an average of $36,934 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 47% were women.
With a ranking of #13, Lewis University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Romeoville, Illinois, and it awarded 1,871 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from Lewis accumulate an average of $23,413 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $411 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Lewis graduates make an average of $48,984 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 59% were women.
Concordia University, Chicago came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 2,010 degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $26,522 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Concordia University, Chicago graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $53,770 during the early year of their career. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
McKendree University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. McKendree University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Lebanon, Illinois that handed out 674 degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,607 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $207 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, McKendree graduates make an average of $47,532 annually. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
University of St Francis ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 1,070 degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $28,383 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $332, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from University of Saint Francis, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $60,805 during the early years of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 73% were women.
Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular programs. Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College is a very small private for-profit school situated in Rockford, Illinois. It awarded 403 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College accumulate an average of $18,960 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $76 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $26,628 during the early year of their career. Around 74% of those degree recipients were women.
Moody Bible Institute came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 716 degrees in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School accumulate an average of $11,844 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $35,512 during the early years of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 43% were women.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students. It came in at #19 on the list. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,247 degrees to qualified students.
Degree recipients from SIUE accumulate an average of $24,579 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $221 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, SIUE graduates make an average of $45,746 annually. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
Olivet Nazarene University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,335 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.
Degree recipients from Olivet Nazarene accumulate an average of $27,166 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $364. Once they receive their degree, Olivet Nazarene graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,879 during the early year of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 68% were women.
Bradley University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Bradley University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 1,675 degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,068 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $575 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Bradley graduates make an average of $52,822 annually. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
McHenry County College ranked #22 on this year’s Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois list. This medium-sized public school is located in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and it awarded 1,699 degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,636 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, MCC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $35,570 during the early year of their career. Around 55% of those degree recipients were women.
Rush University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 815 students in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $35,404 in loans while pursuing their degree.After graduating from Rush University, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $68,980 during the early years of their career. Around 75% of those degree recipients were women.
Judson University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Schools in Illinois ranking. Elgin, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 306 students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,525 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Judson graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,419 during the early year of their career. Around 64% of those degree recipients were women.
Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular programs. Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy is a very small private for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 184 degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, students take out $14,511 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $20,192 during the early year of their career. Around 71% of those degree recipients were women.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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