Alton, Illinois has a population of about 25,430. The city’s median household income is $53,005 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited business administration programs within 100 miles of Alton. In the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $140,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer business administration programs. Distances are calculated from Alton city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey, IL | 3.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Principia College | Elsah, IL | 11.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | Saint Louis, MO | 15.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis, MO | 16.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Ranken Technical College | Saint Louis, MO | 18.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois business administration page.
Alton is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Manager | $83,410 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $87,708 |
| Administrative Services Manager | $104,920 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $110,326 |
| Financial Manager | $140,240 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $147,466 |
| Human Resources Manager | $128,520 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $135,142 |
| Management Analyst | $102,540 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $107,823 |
| Project Management Specialist | $93,760 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $98,591 |
| Accountant or Auditor | $77,770 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $81,777 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $59,430 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,492 |
| Office and Administrative Support Supervisor | $65,910 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,306 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,430 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $53,005 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Business Administration-related employment in Madison County | 1,227 workers, 169 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 business administration programs within 100 miles of Alton. The closest is Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL (3.9 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Ranken Technical College (18.1 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles near Alton are: Financial Manager ($140,240), Human Resources Manager ($128,520), Administrative Services Manager ($104,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Edwardsville, IL is 11.7 miles from Alton and has its own set of local business administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Alton’s median household income of $53,005 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Alton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
Return to Best Online Business Administration Programs in Illinois (2026)