Best Anthropology Schools Near Decatur, IL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Decatur, Illinois has 4 accredited schools offering anthropology programs, with tuition ranging from $16,144 to $34,309 per year for indexed programs. Decatur has a population of about 70,368. Median household income is $50,809 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $84,790 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Decatur

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL 41.1 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
90.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,054
Avg net price $14,355/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 177

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL 43.9 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
62.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,871
Avg net price $28,199/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 45.3 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, IL 92.8 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,346
Avg net price $14,889/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL 101.8 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,163
Avg net price $12,937/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

North Central College

Naperville, IL 139.0 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,123
Avg net price $21,044/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL 143.9 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,808
Avg net price $13,391/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL 145.9 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,756
Avg net price $26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Anthropology Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Decatur, IL metro area (BLS area code 19500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $59,560 IL statewide $67,376
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $84,790 IL statewide $95,916
Archivists $59,340 IL statewide $67,127
Curators $63,060 IL statewide $71,335
Museum Technicians and Conservators $56,720 IL statewide $64,163
Social Science Research Assistants $64,890 IL statewide $73,405
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $68,080 Decatur, IL $77,014

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.

Decatur at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 70,368 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,809 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Decatur, IL?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Decatur. The closest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL (41.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (92.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Decatur are: Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($84,790), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($68,080), Social Science Research Assistants ($64,890). 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 Springfield instead of Decatur?

Springfield, IL is 38.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local anthropology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Decatur an affordable place to study anthropology?

Decatur’s median household income of $50,809 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Decatur 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 Anthropology Programs

Other Programs Available in Decatur

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

Back to Best Anthropology Schools in Illinois: Online Programs (2026)