Best Online Business Administration Programs in Evanston, IL (2026)

Evanston, Illinois has a population of about 76,552. The city’s median household income is $95,766 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited business administration programs within 100 miles of Evanston, with tuition ranging from $14,700 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).


Closest Business Administration Schools to Evanston

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer business administration programs. Distances are calculated from Evanston city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL1.0 miContact school for pricing
Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL3.8 miContact school for pricing
Hebrew Theological CollegeSkokie, IL4.4 mi$14,700 - $21,742
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL4.8 miContact school for pricing
St. Augustine CollegeChicago, IL5.4 miContact school for pricing

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


Business Administration Wages Near Evanston

Evanston 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$105,310Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$101,651
Administrative Services Manager$108,610Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$104,836
Financial Manager$164,470Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$158,755
Human Resources Manager$137,760Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$132,973
Management Analyst$120,140Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$115,965
Project Management Specialist$104,640Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$101,004
Accountant or Auditor$81,210Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$78,388
Training and Development Specialist$65,030Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$62,770
Office and Administrative Support Supervisor$67,940Chicago-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.


Evanston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population76,552Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$95,766Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.3%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 County145,346 workers, 9,504 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Evanston-Area Cities With Business Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited business administration programs are near Evanston, IL?

Our directory lists 5 business administration programs within 100 miles of Evanston. The closest is Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (1.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is St. Augustine College (5.4 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying business administration roles near Evanston?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles near Evanston 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.

Should I look at programs in Skokie instead of Evanston?

Skokie, IL is 2.5 miles from Evanston 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.

Is Evanston an affordable place to study business administration?

Evanston’s median household income of $95,766 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Evanston 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.