Best Online Healthcare Administration Programs in Sterling, IL (2026)

Sterling, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare administration programs, with tuition ranging from $4,696 to $12,397 per year for indexed programs. Sterling has a population of about 14,670. Median household income is $52,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning healthcare administration-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $117,850 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Healthcare Administration Schools to Sterling

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer healthcare administration programs near Sterling. Distances are calculated from Sterling 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 Sterling. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Highland Community College

Freeport, IL 33.4 miles from Sterling BOC Score54.8
Published tuition$4,696 - $12,397
Online programsYes

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#2

Kishwaukee College

Malta, IL 42.9 miles from Sterling BOC Score66.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Black Hawk College

Moline, IL 44.8 miles from Sterling BOC Score52.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Rasmussen University-Illinois

Rockford, IL 44.9 miles from Sterling BOC Score45.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Orion Technical College

Davenport, IA 46.0 miles from Sterling BOC Score64.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Healthcare Administration Wages Near Sterling

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Medical and Health Services Manager$117,850
Health Information Technologist and Medical Registrar$62,780
Administrative Services Manager$106,860
Compliance Officer$80,550
Medical Records Specialist$56,440
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant$46,670

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.


Sterling at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population14,670Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,647Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Healthcare Administration-related employment in Whiteside County2,232 workers, 103 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sterling-Area Cities With Healthcare Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited healthcare administration schools are near Sterling, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare administration programs near Sterling. The closest is Highland Community College in Freeport, IL (33.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Orion Technical College (46.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying healthcare administration roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying healthcare administration-related roles in Illinois are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($117,850), Administrative Services Manager ($106,860), Compliance Officer ($80,550). Wages for Sterling workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Clinton instead of Sterling?

Clinton, IA is 28.3 miles from Sterling and has its own set of local healthcare administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sterling an affordable place to study healthcare administration?

Sterling’s median household income of $52,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sterling 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 Healthcare Administration Programs

Other Programs Available in Sterling

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

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.