Trinity Christian College
Published tuition$20,325 - $47,066
Online programs--
Best Online Education Programs in DeKalb, IL (2026)
DeKalb, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $20,325 to $47,066 per year for indexed programs. DeKalb has a population of about 40,464. Median household income is $46,564 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $128,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to DeKalb
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer education programs near DeKalb. Distances are calculated from DeKalb city center.
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 DeKalb. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Loyola University Chicago
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
DePaul University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Chicago State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois education page.
Education Wages Near DeKalb
DeKalb 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $98,970 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $95,531 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $78,390 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $75,666 |
| Middle School Teacher | $78,000 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $75,290 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $61,350 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59,218 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $128,780 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $124,305 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $101,070 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $97,558 |
| Tutor | $38,100 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $36,776 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $64,730 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $62,481 |
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.
DeKalb at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,464 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $46,564 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in DeKalb County | 297 workers, 27 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other DeKalb-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Geneva, IL – 22.1 mi away (21,880 pop)
- Saint Charles, IL – 22.5 mi away (32,717 pop)
- Huntley, IL – 22.7 mi away (26,611 pop)
- Elgin, IL – 23.1 mi away (112,123 pop)
- Belvidere, IL – 23.2 mi away (25,070 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near DeKalb, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering education programs near DeKalb. The closest is Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL (52.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (63.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near DeKalb?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near DeKalb are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($128,780), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($101,070), Secondary School Teacher ($98,970). 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 Geneva instead of DeKalb?
Geneva, IL is 22.1 miles from DeKalb and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is DeKalb an affordable place to study education?
DeKalb’s median household income of $46,564 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in DeKalb 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 Education Programs
- Education accreditation: what to look for
- Education concentrations and specializations
- Is a Education degree worth it?
- Main Education degree guide
- Online Education programs in Illinois
- Education programs by state
Other Programs Available in DeKalb
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for DeKalb:
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- Nursing programs in DeKalb, IL
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 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.