Best Business Administration Schools Near Sterling, IL (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sterling, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering business administration programs, with tuition ranging from $4,200 to $16,385 per year for indexed programs. Sterling has a population of about 14,670. Median household income is $52,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $165,880 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Business Administration Schools to Sterling

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

Rockford University

Rockford, IL 47.6 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
38.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,794
Avg net price $22,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL 48.7 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,808
Avg net price $13,391/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL 48.7 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
62.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,971
Avg net price $22,736/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Knox College

Galesburg, IL 68.8 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
54.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,820
Avg net price $24,595/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,903
Out‑of‑state$57,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Aurora University

Aurora, IL 69.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,709
Avg net price $18,838/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Judson University

Elgin, IL 74.4 miles from Sterling
  • 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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#7

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 76.3 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,852
Avg net price $22,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Eureka College

Eureka, IL 78.1 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
37.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,641
Avg net price $17,349/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Business Administration Wages Near Sterling

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
General and Operations Manager $103,570
Administrative Services Manager $106,860
Financial Manager $165,880
Human Resources Manager $151,370
Management Analyst $104,270
Project Management Specialist $103,470
Accountant or Auditor $80,230
Training and Development Specialist $67,380
Office and Administrative Support Supervisor $69,010

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.

Sterling at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 14,670 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,647 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Business Administration-related employment in Whiteside County 118 workers, 25 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sterling-Area Cities With Business Administration Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited business administration schools are near Sterling, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering business administration programs near Sterling. The closest is Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, IL (5.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Illinois Valley Community College (45.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying business administration roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles in Illinois are: Financial Manager ($165,880), Human Resources Manager ($151,370), Administrative Services Manager ($106,860). Wages for Sterling workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Clinton instead of Sterling?

Clinton, IA is 28.3 miles from Sterling 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 Sterling an affordable place to study business administration?

Sterling’s median household income of $52,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sterling 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 Business Administration Programs

Other Programs Available in Sterling

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

Data verified: September 6, 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 Business Administration Schools in Illinois (2026)