Best Data Science Schools Near East Chicago, IN (2026)

East Chicago, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering data science programs, with tuition ranging from $39,200 to $47,313 per year for indexed programs. East Chicago has a population of about 26,158. Median household income is $41,071 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 9.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning data science-related role is Database Architects at a median $147,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Data Science Schools to East Chicago

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer data science programs near East Chicago, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from East Chicago 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 East Chicago. 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

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN 24.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,191
Avg net price $18,578/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Saint Mary's College

Notre Dame, IN 61.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,354
Avg net price $25,292/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN 126.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
40.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,872
Avg net price $13,171/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,532
Out‑of‑state$22,887
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Butler University

Indianapolis, IN 142.0 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,235
Avg net price $36,041/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Terre Haute, IN 149.7 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $101,253
Avg net price $42,513/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Franklin College

Franklin, IN 167.1 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
43.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,376
Avg net price $22,855/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,710
Out‑of‑state$38,710
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Earlham College

Richmond, IN 183.2 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 73%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,797
Avg net price $24,714/yr
Tuition
In‑state$53,930
Out‑of‑state$53,930
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Indiana schools on the Indiana data science page.


Data Science Wages Near East Chicago

East Chicago 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 Indiana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Data Scientists $107,640 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $103,900
Statisticians $122,180 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $117,934
Operations Research Analysts $86,500 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $83,494
Software Developers $134,380 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $129,710
Actuaries $113,730 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $109,778
Database Architects $147,490 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $142,365
Computer Systems Analysts $103,490 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $99,894
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $80,400 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $77,606

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.


East Chicago at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,158 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $41,071 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 9.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other East Chicago-Area Cities With Data Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited data science schools are near East Chicago, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering data science programs near East Chicago. The closest is Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN (24.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Olivet Nazarene University (40.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying data science roles near East Chicago?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying data science-related roles near East Chicago are: Database Architects ($147,490), Software Developers ($134,380), Statisticians ($122,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hammond instead of East Chicago?

Hammond, IN is 2.9 miles from East Chicago and has its own set of local data science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is East Chicago an affordable place to study data science?

East Chicago’s median household income of $41,071 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Chicago while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana 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 Data Science Programs

Other Programs Available in East Chicago

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.