Des Plaines, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering general studies 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 general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $109,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest General Studies Schools to Des Plaines
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies 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.
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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Des Plaines.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,852
Avg net price
$5,183/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois general studies page.
General Studies 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) |
| General and Operations Managers |
$109,390 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$105,589 |
| Management Analysts |
$105,090 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$101,438 |
| Human Resources Specialists |
$78,210 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$75,492 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists |
$80,400 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$77,606 |
| Writers and Authors |
$75,940 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$73,301 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education |
$98,970 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$95,531 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers |
$71,730 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$69,237 |
| Social and Community Service Managers |
$79,150 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN |
$76,400 |
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 General Studies 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 general studies schools are near Des Plaines, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Des Plaines. The closest is Oakton College in Des Plaines, IL (2.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Elmhurst University (9.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Des Plaines?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Des Plaines are: General and Operations Managers ($109,390), Management Analysts ($105,090), Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education ($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 Mount Prospect instead of Des Plaines?
Mount Prospect, IL is 2.8 miles from Des Plaines and has its own set of local general studies 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 general studies?
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 General Studies Programs
Other Programs Available in Des Plaines
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Des Plaines:
- History programs in Des Plaines, IL
- English programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Sociology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Anthropology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Political Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Philosophy programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Mathematics programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Forensic Psychology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Child Development programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Data Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Electrical Engineering programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Software Engineering programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Engineering Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Geography programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Aviation Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Public Policy programs in Des Plaines, IL
- International Relations programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Chemistry programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Physics programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Neuroscience programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Spanish programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Film programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Fashion programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Architecture programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Urban Planning programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Industrial Design programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Game Design programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Instructional Design programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Higher Education Administration programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Global Health programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Art History programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Creative Writing programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Environmental Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Nutrition programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Theology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Library Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Medical Assistant programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Health Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Entrepreneurship programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Interior Design programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Photography programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Sustainability Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Journalism programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Public Relations programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Communication Disorders programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Speech Pathology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Technical Communication programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Professional Writing programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Strategic Communications programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Business Development programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Construction Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Economics programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Financial Technology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Health Information Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Hospitality Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- International Business programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Management Information Systems programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Operations Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Public Administration programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Real Estate programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Recreation Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Retail Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Risk Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Statistics programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Taxation programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Corrections programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Crime Analysis programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Criminology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Cybercrime programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Emergency Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Fire Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Forensic Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Legal Services programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Legal Studies programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Paralegal programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Security Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Cloud Computing programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Computer Engineering programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Innovation programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Mobile App Development programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Software Development programs in Des Plaines, IL
- User Experience programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Web Development programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Public Health programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Human Resources programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Project Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Special Education programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Marketing programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Finance programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Sports Management programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Biology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Communications programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Human Services programs in Des Plaines, IL
- MBA programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Nursing programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Business Administration programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Computer Science programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Psychology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Education programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Engineering programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Technology programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Healthcare programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Accounting programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Social Work programs in Des Plaines, IL
- Counseling programs in Des Plaines, IL
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 General Studies Schools in Illinois (2026)
