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Best Economics Schools Near Alton, IL (2026)
Alton, Illinois has 12 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $12,252 to $65,790 per year for indexed programs. Alton has a population of about 25,430. Median household income is $53,005 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, the top-earning economics-related role is Economist at a median $132,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Economics Schools to Alton
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Alton, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Alton city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois economics page.
Economics Wages Near Alton
Alton is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economist | $132,630 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $139,464 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $99,950 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $105,100 |
| Statistician | $80,950 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $85,121 |
| Management Analyst | $101,100 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $106,309 |
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.
Alton at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,430 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $53,005 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Alton-Area Cities With Economics Programs
- Edwardsville, IL – 11.7 mi away (25,071 pop)
- Florissant, MO – 11.8 mi away (51,776 pop)
- Granite City, IL – 12.1 mi away (28,908 pop)
- Ferguson, MO – 13.1 mi away (20,846 pop)
- Hazelwood, MO – 14.9 mi away (25,443 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited economics schools are near Alton, IL?
Our directory has 12 accredited schools offering economics programs near Alton. The closest is Principia College in Elsah, IL (11.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Illinois Springfield (63.9 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying economics roles near Alton?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Alton are: Economist ($132,630), Management Analyst ($101,100), Financial and Investment Analyst ($99,950). 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 Edwardsville instead of Alton?
Edwardsville, IL is 11.7 miles from Alton and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Alton an affordable place to study economics?
Alton’s median household income of $53,005 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Alton 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 Economics Programs
- Is an Economics degree worth it?
- Main Economics degree guide
- Online Economics programs in Illinois
- Economics programs by state
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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.
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