Buffalo Grove, Illinois has a population of about 42,824. The city’s median household income is $129,820 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 66.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited business administration programs within 100 miles of Buffalo Grove, with tuition ranging from $3,822 to $21,742 per year. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $164,470 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 Buffalo Grove city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | 8.1 mi | $3,822 - $12,833 | – |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines, IL | 8.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake, IL | 13.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Hebrew Theological College | Skokie, IL | 15.1 mi | $14,700 - $21,742 | – |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 16.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois business administration page.
Buffalo Grove is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). 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 | $105,310 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $101,651 |
| Administrative Services Manager | $108,610 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $104,836 |
| Financial Manager | $164,470 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $158,755 |
| Human Resources Manager | $137,760 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $132,973 |
| Management Analyst | $120,140 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,965 |
| Project Management Specialist | $104,640 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $101,004 |
| Accountant or Auditor | $81,210 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $78,388 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $65,030 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $62,770 |
| Office and Administrative Support Supervisor | $67,940 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $65,579 |
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 | 42,824 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $129,820 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 66.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Business Administration-related employment in Cook County | 145,346 workers, 9,504 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 business administration programs within 100 miles of Buffalo Grove. The closest is William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL (8.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Northwestern University (16.8 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 Buffalo Grove are: Financial Manager ($164,470), Human Resources Manager ($137,760), Management Analyst ($120,140). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Wheeling, IL is 3.2 miles from Buffalo Grove 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.
Buffalo Grove’s median household income of $129,820 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Buffalo Grove 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)