Best Architecture Schools Near Kankakee, IL (2026)

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

Kankakee, Illinois has 3 accredited schools offering architecture programs, with tuition ranging from $31,360 to $43,137 per year for indexed programs. Kankakee has a population of about 24,384. Median household income is $45,119 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $163,610 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Kankakee

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer architecture programs near Kankakee, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Kankakee 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 Kankakee. 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 Chicago

Chicago, IL 54.3 miles from Kankakee
  • 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

#2

Judson University

Elgin, IL 69.9 miles from Kankakee
  • 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

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#3

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 245.0 miles from Kankakee
  • 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 Kankakee

Kankakee is part of the Kankakee, IL metro area (BLS area code 28100). 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 $81,780 IL statewide $84,834
Landscape Architects $67,460 IL statewide $69,979
Architectural and Engineering Managers $163,610 IL statewide $169,720
Architectural and Civil Drafters $58,240 IL statewide $60,415
Urban and Regional Planners $91,360 IL statewide $94,772
Construction Managers $92,820 Kankakee, IL $96,286
Interior Designers $76,290 IL statewide $79,139
Civil Engineers $99,760 IL statewide $103,485

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.

Kankakee at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,384 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $45,119 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 12.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Kankakee-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited architecture schools are near Kankakee, IL?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering architecture programs near Kankakee. The closest is University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL (54.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Notre Dame (93.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Kankakee?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Kankakee are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($163,610), Civil Engineers ($99,760), Construction Managers ($92,820). 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 Braidwood instead of Kankakee?

Braidwood, IL is 22.0 miles from Kankakee 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 Kankakee an affordable place to study architecture?

Kankakee’s median household income of $45,119 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kankakee 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 Kankakee

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

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)