Best Online Accounting Programs in DeKalb, IL (2026)

DeKalb, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $3,432 to $25,508 per year for indexed programs. DeKalb has a population of about 40,464. Median household income is $46,564 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $168,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Accounting Schools to DeKalb

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near DeKalb, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from DeKalb 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 DeKalb. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Waubonsee Community College

Sugar Grove, IL 17.6 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 59.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,788
Avg net price $11,442/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Elgin Community College

Elgin, IL 22.7 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 50.2
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,516
Avg net price $6,026/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College

Rockford, IL 26.7 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 44.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,104
Avg net price $21,601/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rockford University

Rockford, IL 27.2 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 38.4
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,794
Avg net price $22,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Rock Valley College

Rockford, IL 29.0 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 49.5
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,158
Avg net price $5,242/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rasmussen University-Illinois

Rockford, IL 29.5 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 45.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,080
Avg net price $19,854/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

McHenry County College

Crystal Lake, IL 30.2 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 58.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,143
Avg net price $7,042/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

College of DuPage

Glen Ellyn, IL 35.4 miles from DeKalb BOC Score 47.7
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,909
Avg net price $7,401/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 104

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Accounting Wages Near DeKalb

DeKalb 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$82,360Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$79,498
Financial Manager$168,810Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$162,944
Financial Analyst$101,750Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$98,214
Budget Analyst$88,460Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$85,386
Tax Preparer$48,670Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$46,979
Tax Examiner and Collector$93,590Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$90,338
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$51,440Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$49,653

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.


DeKalb at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,464Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$46,564Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in DeKalb County97 workers, 24 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other DeKalb-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near DeKalb, IL?

Accredited schools offering accounting programs near DeKalb 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 near DeKalb?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near DeKalb are: Financial Manager ($168,810), Financial Analyst ($101,750), Tax Examiner and Collector ($93,590). 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 Geneva instead of DeKalb?

Geneva, IL is 22.1 miles from DeKalb 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 DeKalb an affordable place to study accounting?

DeKalb’s median household income of $46,564 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in DeKalb 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 DeKalb

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.