Best Corrections Schools Near Ottawa, IL (2026)

Ottawa, Illinois has 4 accredited schools offering corrections programs, with tuition ranging from $4,530 to $14,400 per year for indexed programs. Ottawa has a population of about 18,714. Median household income is $73,011 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $105,450 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Corrections Schools to Ottawa

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Ottawa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ottawa 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 Ottawa. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, IL 35.9 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 55.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,889
Avg net price $1,672/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,530
Out‑of‑state$13,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Sauk Valley Community College

Dixon, IL 51.0 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 59.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,458
Avg net price $8,493/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

South Suburban College

South Holland, IL 65.6 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 48.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,680
Avg net price $3,242/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

College of Lake County

Grayslake, IL 81.1 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 47.4
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,424
Avg net price $7,607/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,788
Out‑of‑state$14,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 88

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Danville Area Community College

Danville, IL 106.5 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 41.5
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,867
Avg net price $4,777/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges

Olney, IL 185.2 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 57.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,533
Avg net price $10,092/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Kaskaskia College

Centralia, IL 193.8 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 54.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,801
Avg net price $6,477/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,800
Out‑of‑state$12,570
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL 204.3 miles from Ottawa BOC Score 49.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,884
Avg net price $10,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Corrections Wages Near Ottawa

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$79,190
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$74,390
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$105,450
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$100,520

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.


Ottawa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,714Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,011Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ottawa-Area Cities With Corrections Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited corrections schools are near Ottawa, IL?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering corrections programs near Ottawa. The closest is Joliet Junior College in Joliet, IL (35.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is College of Lake County (81.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying corrections roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles in Illinois are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($105,450), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($100,520), Correctional Officer and Jailer ($79,190). Wages for Ottawa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Peru instead of Ottawa?

Peru, IL is 15.7 miles from Ottawa and has its own set of local corrections programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ottawa an affordable place to study corrections?

Ottawa’s median household income of $73,011 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ottawa 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 Corrections Programs

Other Programs Available in Ottawa

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

Data verified: August 11, 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.