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Best Public Administration Schools Near Darien, IL (2026)
Darien, Illinois has 18 accredited schools offering public administration programs, with tuition ranging from $12,705 to $53,710 per year for indexed programs. Darien has a population of about 21,855. Median household income is $109,354 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning public administration-related role is General and Operations Manager at a median $109,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Public Administration Schools to Darien
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public administration programs near Darien, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Darien city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois public administration page.
Public Administration Wages Near Darien
Darien 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Manager | $79,150 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $76,400 |
| Urban and Regional Planner | $98,840 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $95,405 |
| General and Operations Manager | $109,390 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $105,589 |
| Management Analyst | $105,090 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $101,438 |
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.
Darien at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,855 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $109,354 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 51.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Darien-Area Cities With Public Administration Programs
- Woodridge, IL – 3.1 mi away (33,476 pop)
- Westmont, IL – 3.5 mi away (24,767 pop)
- Downers Grove, IL – 3.9 mi away (49,473 pop)
- Lisle, IL – 6.4 mi away (22,930 pop)
- Bolingbrook, IL – 7.2 mi away (74,518 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited public administration schools are near Darien, IL?
Our directory has 18 accredited schools offering public administration programs near Darien. The closest is Lewis University in Romeoville, IL (10.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loyola University Chicago (24.4 miles). 10 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying public administration roles near Darien?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public administration-related roles near Darien are: General and Operations Manager ($109,390), Management Analyst ($105,090), Urban and Regional Planner ($98,840). 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 Woodridge instead of Darien?
Woodridge, IL is 3.1 miles from Darien and has its own set of local public administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Darien an affordable place to study public administration?
Darien’s median household income of $109,354 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Darien 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 Public Administration Programs
- Is a Public Administration degree worth it?
- Main Public Administration degree guide
- Online Public Administration programs in Illinois
- Public Administration programs by state
Other Programs Available in Darien
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Darien:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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Data verified: August 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.
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