Best Architecture Schools Near Bloomington, IL (2026)

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

Bloomington, Illinois is home to about 78,703 residents. Median household income is $75,449 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bloomington, IL metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $133,260 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Bloomington

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

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

Sort:
#1

Judson University

Elgin, IL 115.1 miles from Bloomington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 48%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,313
Avg net price $18,558/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL 118.4 miles from Bloomington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,740
Avg net price $10,974/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 191.3 miles from Bloomington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,390
Avg net price $13,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Architecture Wages Near Bloomington

Bloomington is part of the Bloomington, IL metro area (BLS area code 14010). 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)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $82,250 Bloomington, IL $87,968
Landscape Architects $67,460 IL statewide $72,150
Architectural and Engineering Managers $133,260 Bloomington, IL $142,524
Architectural and Civil Drafters $58,240 IL statewide $62,289
Urban and Regional Planners $91,360 IL statewide $97,711
Construction Managers $97,500 Bloomington, IL $104,278
Interior Designers $60,420 Bloomington, IL $64,620
Civil Engineers $97,070 Bloomington, IL $103,818

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.

Bloomington at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 78,703 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $75,449 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 48.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Bloomington-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Bloomington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Bloomington are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($133,260), Construction Managers ($97,500), Civil Engineers ($97,070). 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 Normal instead of Bloomington?

Normal, IL is 3.3 miles from Bloomington and has its own set of local architecture programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bloomington an affordable place to study architecture?

Bloomington’s median household income of $75,449 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bloomington 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 Architecture Programs

Other Programs Available in Bloomington

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

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 Architecture Schools in Illinois: Online Programs (2026)