Best MLIS Schools Near Edwardsville, IL (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Edwardsville, Illinois is home to about 26,543 residents. Median household income is $92,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning library science-related role is Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $80,760 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Library Science Schools to Edwardsville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer library science programs near Edwardsville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Edwardsville 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 Edwardsville. 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

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 130.0 miles from Edwardsville
  • 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

#2

Chicago State University

Chicago, IL 237.9 miles from Edwardsville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,778
Avg net price $12,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Dominican University

River Forest, IL 243.3 miles from Edwardsville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,327
Avg net price $11,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Library Science Wages Near Edwardsville

Edwardsville is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Librarian and Media Collections Specialist$64,350St. Louis, MO-IL$67,666
Library Technician$39,780St. Louis, MO-IL$41,830
Archivist$63,630St. Louis, MO-IL$66,909
Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary$80,760IL statewide$84,921

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.

Edwardsville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,543Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,671Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Edwardsville-Area Cities With Library Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying library science roles near Edwardsville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying library science-related roles near Edwardsville are: Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary ($80,760), Librarian and Media Collections Specialist ($64,350), Archivist ($63,630). 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 Collinsville instead of Edwardsville?

Collinsville, IL is 8.0 miles from Edwardsville and has its own set of local library science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Edwardsville an affordable place to study library science?

Edwardsville’s median household income of $92,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Edwardsville 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 Library Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Edwardsville

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

Data verified: September 1, 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 MLIS Schools in Illinois: Online Programs (2026)