Best English Schools Near Pekin, IL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Pekin, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering english programs, with tuition ranging from $16,144 to $68,134 per year for indexed programs. Pekin has a population of about 31,812. Median household income is $58,355 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Peoria, IL metro area, the top-earning english-related role is Technical Writers at a median $87,090 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest English Schools to Pekin

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer english programs near Pekin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Pekin city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Pekin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 8.9 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,852
Avg net price $22,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eureka College

Eureka, IL 21.3 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
37.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,641
Avg net price $17,349/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 33.7 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL 33.7 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
62.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,871
Avg net price $28,199/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Knox College

Galesburg, IL 46.9 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
54.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,820
Avg net price $24,595/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,903
Out‑of‑state$57,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL 56.1 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,163
Avg net price $12,937/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Illinois Springfield

Springfield, IL 57.9 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,103
Avg net price $9,833/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Monmouth College

Monmouth, IL 58.1 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
42.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,110
Avg net price $17,133/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois english page.

English Wages Near Pekin

Pekin is part of the Peoria, IL metro area (BLS area code 37900). 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)
Writers and Authors $68,220 IL statewide $74,803
Editors $58,000 Peoria, IL $63,596
Technical Writers $87,090 Peoria, IL $95,493
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary $77,820 Peoria, IL $85,329
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,620 Peoria, IL $67,566
Public Relations Specialists $76,150 Peoria, IL $83,498
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $78,700 Peoria, IL $86,294
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists $49,580 Peoria, IL $54,364

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.

Pekin at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,812 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,355 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Pekin-Area Cities With English Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited english schools are near Pekin, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering english programs near Pekin. The closest is Bradley University in Peoria, IL (8.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Knox College (46.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying english roles near Pekin?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying english-related roles near Pekin are: Technical Writers ($87,090), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($78,700), English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary ($77,820). 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 East Peoria instead of Pekin?

East Peoria, IL is 8.6 miles from Pekin and has its own set of local english programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Pekin an affordable place to study english?

Pekin’s median household income of $58,355 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pekin 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 English Programs

Other Programs Available in Pekin

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Pekin:

Data verified: September 5, 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.

Back to Best English Schools in Illinois: Online Programs (2026)