Best Online Engineering Programs in North Chicago, IL (2026)
North Chicago, Illinois has a population of about 30,772. The city’s median household income is $56,815 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 66 accredited schools offering engineering programs near North Chicago, with tuition ranging from $3,822 to $12,833 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 North Chicago
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 66 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near North Chicago. Distances are calculated from North Chicago city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Lake County | Grayslake, IL | 8.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines, IL | 17.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | 19.6 mi | $3,822 - $12,833 | – |
| Gateway Technical College | Kenosha, WI | 19.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 20.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Carthage College | Kenosha, WI | 21.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL | 24.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| North Park University | Chicago, IL | 24.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago, IL | 25.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | 26.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near North Chicago
North 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 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.
North Chicago at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,772 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,815 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 19.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Lake County | 2,679 workers, 407 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other North Chicago-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Waukegan, IL – 3.7 mi away (88,182 pop)
- Gurnee, IL – 5.5 mi away (30,957 pop)
- Libertyville, IL – 5.9 mi away (20,405 pop)
- Vernon Hills, IL – 7.7 mi away (26,328 pop)
- Mundelein, IL – 8.4 mi away (31,475 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near North Chicago, IL?
Our directory has 66 accredited schools offering engineering programs near North Chicago. The closest is College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL (8.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is McHenry County College (26.3 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near North Chicago?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near North Chicago 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 Waukegan instead of North Chicago?
Waukegan, IL is 3.7 miles from North Chicago 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 North Chicago an affordable place to study engineering?
North Chicago’s median household income of $56,815 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in North Chicago 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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