Best Online Accounting Programs in Ottawa, IL (2026)

Ottawa, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $3,432 to $14,661 per year for indexed programs. Ottawa has a population of about 18,714. Median household income is $73,011 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.9% 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 Ottawa

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

#1

Illinois Valley Community College

Oglesby, IL 14.3 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 58.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,810
Avg net price $2,232/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,200
Out‑of‑state$16,385
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Waubonsee Community College

Sugar Grove, IL 36.1 miles from Ottawa 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

#3

Sauk Valley Community College

Dixon, IL 51.0 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 59.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,458
Avg net price $8,493/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

College of DuPage

Glen Ellyn, IL 51.9 miles from Ottawa 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

#5

Elgin Community College

Elgin, IL 53.0 miles from Ottawa 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

#6

Kankakee Community College

Kankakee, IL 53.9 miles from Ottawa 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

Moraine Valley Community College

Palos Hills, IL 56.5 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 60.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,892
Avg net price $2,829/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL 57.1 miles from Ottawa 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

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


Accounting Wages Near Ottawa

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.


Ottawa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,714Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,011Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Accounting-related employment in LaSalle County84 workers, 29 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ottawa-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Ottawa, IL?

Accredited schools offering accounting programs near Ottawa 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 Ottawa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Peru instead of Ottawa?

Peru, IL is 15.7 miles from Ottawa 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 Ottawa an affordable place to study accounting?

Ottawa’s median household income of $73,011 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ottawa 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 Ottawa

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

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.