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Best Urban Planning Schools Near Sterling, IL (2026)
Sterling, Illinois has 1 accredited school offering urban planning 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 urban planning-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $140,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Urban Planning Schools to Sterling
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer urban planning 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.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois urban planning page.
Urban Planning Wages Near Sterling
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Urban and Regional Planners | $91,360 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $81,590 |
| Surveyors | $75,980 |
| Geographers | $92,640 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $78,380 |
| Management Analysts | $104,270 |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $54,680 |
| Managers, All Other | $140,240 |
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 Urban Planning Programs
- Clinton, IA – 28.3 mi away (30,930 pop)
- Freeport, IL – 34.0 mi away (24,717 pop)
- East Moline, IL – 40.6 mi away (21,135 pop)
- Peru, IL – 42.6 mi away (30,795 pop)
- Bettendorf, IA – 43.4 mi away (35,727 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited urban planning schools are near Sterling, IL?
Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering urban planning programs near Sterling. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI (89.4 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 urban planning roles in Illinois?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying urban planning-related roles in Illinois are: Managers, All Other ($140,240), Management Analysts ($104,270), Geographers ($92,640). 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 urban planning 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 urban planning?
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 Urban Planning Programs
- Main Urban Planning degree guide
- Online Urban Planning programs in Illinois
- Urban Planning programs by state
Other Programs Available in Sterling
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sterling:
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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.