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Best Economics Schools Near Des Plaines, IL (2026)
Des Plaines, Illinois has 36 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $12,383 to $68,322 per year for indexed programs. Des Plaines has a population of about 59,408. Median household income is $94,303 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning economics-related role is Statistician at a median $122,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Economics Schools to Des Plaines
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Des Plaines, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines
Des Plaines 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economist | N/A | IL statewide | – |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $101,750 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $98,214 |
| Statistician | $122,180 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $117,934 |
| Management Analyst | $105,090 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $101,438 |
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.
Des Plaines at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,408 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $94,303 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 38.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Des Plaines-Area Cities With Economics Programs
- Mount Prospect, IL – 2.8 mi away (54,171 pop)
- Park Ridge, IL – 3.3 mi away (37,496 pop)
- Niles, IL – 4.7 mi away (29,617 pop)
- Elk Grove Village, IL – 5.1 mi away (32,931 pop)
- Glenview, IL – 5.3 mi away (47,475 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited economics schools are near Des Plaines, IL?
Our directory has 36 accredited schools offering economics programs near Des Plaines. The closest is Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, IL (9.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is DePaul University (17.7 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying economics roles near Des Plaines?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Des Plaines are: Statistician ($122,180), Management Analyst ($105,090), Financial and Investment Analyst ($101,750). 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 Mount Prospect instead of Des Plaines?
Mount Prospect, IL is 2.8 miles from Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines an affordable place to study economics?
Des Plaines’s median household income of $94,303 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Des Plaines 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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