Best Online Accounting Programs in Charleston, IL (2026)

Charleston, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $4,390 to $17,518 per year for indexed programs. Charleston has a population of about 17,212. Median household income is $49,057 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $165,880 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Accounting Schools to Charleston

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near Charleston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Charleston 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:

  • 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 Charleston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Richland Community College

Decatur, IL 47.1 miles from Charleston BOC Score 53.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,793
Avg net price $3,741/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges

Olney, IL 52.1 miles from Charleston BOC Score 57.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,533
Avg net price $10,092/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Danville Area Community College

Danville, IL 54.5 miles from Charleston BOC Score 41.5
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,867
Avg net price $4,777/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Heartland Community College

Normal, IL 85.0 miles from Charleston BOC Score 51.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,768
Avg net price $12,013/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,550
Out‑of‑state$13,110
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL 110.3 miles from Charleston BOC Score 50.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,366
Avg net price $12,961/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Kankakee Community College

Kankakee, IL 112.5 miles from Charleston BOC Score 53.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,767
Avg net price $4,665/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,220
Out‑of‑state$25,830
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Lewis and Clark Community College

Godfrey, IL 113.9 miles from Charleston BOC Score 49.1
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,724
Avg net price $3,349/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,340
Out‑of‑state$7,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL 115.1 miles from Charleston BOC Score 49.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,884
Avg net price $10,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois accounting page.


Accounting Wages Near Charleston

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Accountant and Auditor$80,230
Financial Manager$165,880
Financial Analyst$101,180
Budget Analyst$94,880
Tax Preparer$54,480
Tax Examiner and Collector$80,720
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$49,560

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.


Charleston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,212Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,057Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Accounting-related employment in Coles County534 workers, 14 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Charleston-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Charleston, IL?

Accredited schools offering accounting programs near Charleston are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles in Illinois are: Financial Manager ($165,880), Financial Analyst ($101,180), Budget Analyst ($94,880). Wages for Charleston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Terre Haute instead of Charleston?

Terre Haute, IN is 42.8 miles from Charleston and has its own set of local accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Charleston an affordable place to study accounting?

Charleston’s median household income of $49,057 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Charleston 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 Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Charleston

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Charleston:

Data verified: July 23, 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.