Best Public Policy Schools Near Sterling, IL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sterling, Illinois has 2 accredited schools offering public policy programs, with tuition ranging from $57,903 to $68,134 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 public policy-related role is Management Analysts at a median $104,270 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Sterling

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

Knox College

Galesburg, IL 68.8 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
54.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,820
Avg net price $24,595/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,903
Out‑of‑state$57,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL 105.0 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.8 BOC Score
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: 167

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL 105.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,740
Avg net price $10,974/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 105.7 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.2 BOC Score
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: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Adler University

Chicago, IL 106.5 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

DePaul University

Chicago, IL 106.6 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,751
Avg net price $30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 108.0 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,885
Avg net price $14,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Illinois Springfield

Springfield, IL 143.1 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,103
Avg net price $9,833/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy Wages Near Sterling

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Political Scientists $103,780
Management Analysts $104,270
Economists N/A
Social and Community Service Managers $78,380
Survey Researchers $54,080
Compliance Officers $80,550
General and Operations Managers $103,570
Financial and Investment Analysts $101,180

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

Metric Value Source
Population 14,670 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,647 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sterling-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Sterling, IL?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Sterling. The closest is Knox College in Galesburg, IL (68.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-Madison (89.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in Illinois are: Management Analysts ($104,270), Political Scientists ($103,780), General and Operations Managers ($103,570). 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 public policy 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 public policy?

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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Sterling

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

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 Public Policy Schools in Illinois: Online Programs (2026)