Best Online Engineering Programs in Des Plaines, IL (2026)
Des Plaines, Illinois has a population of about 59,408. The city’s median household income is $94,303 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 63 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Des Plaines, with tuition ranging from $3,822 to $56,447 per year for indexed programs. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $159,110 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Engineering Schools to Des Plaines
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 63 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Des Plaines. Distances are calculated from Des Plaines city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakton College | Des Plaines, IL | 2.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago, IL | 7.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Triton College | River Grove, IL | 8.7 mi | $4,920 - $14,880 | – |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | 9.4 mi | $3,822 - $12,833 | – |
| North Park University | Chicago, IL | 10.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 11.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL | 12.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Chicago, IL | 13.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton, IL | 15.3 mi | $43,930 - $56,447 | – |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, IL | 16.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois engineering page.
Engineering 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $100,280 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $96,795 |
| Electrical Engineer | $109,010 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $105,222 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $100,390 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $96,902 |
| Chemical Engineer | $119,490 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,338 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $125,520 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $121,158 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $96,320 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $92,973 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,550 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,813 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $159,110 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $153,581 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 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 |
| Engineering-related employment in Cook County | 28,825 workers, 2,790 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Des Plaines-Area Cities With Engineering 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 engineering schools are near Des Plaines, IL?
Our directory has 63 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Des Plaines. The closest is Oakton College in Des Plaines, IL (2.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is College of DuPage (16.0 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Des Plaines?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Des Plaines are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($159,110), Aerospace Engineer ($125,520), Chemical Engineer ($119,490). 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 engineering 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 engineering?
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.
Related Resources
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.
Back to Best Online Engineering Programs in Illinois (2026)
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