Best Online Kinesiology Programs in Des Plaines, IL (2026)

Des Plaines, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology 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 kinesiology-related role is Athletic Trainer at a median $65,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Kinesiology Schools to Des Plaines

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer kinesiology 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:

  • 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.

#1

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL 9.9 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 64.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,462
Avg net price $24,185/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, IL 10.1 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,234
Avg net price $14,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Concordia University-Chicago

River Forest, IL 10.4 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 49.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,089
Avg net price $18,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

North Park University

Chicago, IL 10.8 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 61.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,572
Avg net price $16,948/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Trinity International University-Illinois

Deerfield, IL 11.2 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 45.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,989
Avg net price $2,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 5%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL 11.6 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 81.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,363
Avg net price $29,167/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 12.7 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,530
Avg net price $36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL 15.2 miles from Des Plaines BOC Score 75.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,756
Avg net price $26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Kinesiology 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Exercise Physiologist$63,570Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$61,361
Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor$47,680Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$46,023
Athletic Trainer$65,780Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$63,494
Coach and Scout$50,350Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$48,600

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

MetricValueSource
Population59,408Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$94,303Census 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 Kinesiology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited kinesiology schools are near Des Plaines, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology programs near Des Plaines. The closest is Triton College in River Grove, IL (8.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Park University (10.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying kinesiology roles near Des Plaines?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying kinesiology-related roles near Des Plaines are: Athletic Trainer ($65,780), Exercise Physiologist ($63,570), Coach and Scout ($50,350). 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 kinesiology 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 kinesiology?

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 Kinesiology Programs

Other Programs Available in Des Plaines

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

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.