Online Colleges in Illinois

Earning your degree from an online college in Illinois can qualify you for more and higher-paying career options. Studying online can save you money in the process. We’ve designed this guide to help you determine if pursuing an online degree in Illinois is the right choice for you by providing information on the state, the cost of tuition, and tips for finding financial aid.

Featured Online Schools

Higher Learning Initiatives in Illinois

Illinois Online Network

First created in 1997 when there were just a handful of online courses to choose from, the Illinois Online Network was originally a collaboration of 10 community colleges that joined together when it came to distance learning. Today, the entity has 48 participating institutions and works with roughly 2,000 faculty members to provide current and prospective students with the most up-to-date, thorough information in their fields.

Popular Degree Programs in Illinois

You can study just about anything at an online college in Illinois, but every state has fields that are more popular than others. The two fields listed below are the most popular in Illinois and should give you an idea of the kinds of programs available to you.

• Actuarial Science: Proportionally, more people have actuarial degrees in Illinois than in any other state. If this is a field you are interested in, Illinois is a great place to look for a program.
• Business Management and Administration: These are the most common degrees in Illinois, and in the U.S. Business degrees have seen an uptick over the last two decades as more high-paying careers are built on white-collar jobs.

Paying for College in Illinois

Tuition is generally the largest portion of college costs, though it is not the only one. By choosing an online college in Illinois, you save on housing and transportation by not living on or driving to campus. You might even avoid paying out-of-state tuition costs since online tuition is generally closer to in-state costs.

Tuition Prices

College isn’t cheap in Illinois. As you can see from the table below, four-year colleges are more expensive than the national average, while two-year colleges are about the same. These numbers are averages, so you can expect to find colleges with higher and lower tuition rates.

Average Price for In-State Tuition and Fees by Institution Type, 2017-18

Source: College Board

Employment Outlook in Illinois

Illinois has a higher unemployment rate than the national average, but it is still relatively low, meaning jobs aren’t much harder to find than in other states. Having a college degree can give graduates access to better-paying jobs in changing state and national economies. Getting your degree from an online college in Illinois is especially helpful if you plan to work there since you can make connections while in school that may help you find work after graduation.

Source: BLS

Source: BLS

Accreditation for Colleges in Illinois

Accreditation boards, either regional or national, determine whether a college meets acceptable academic standards. Regional boards, such as the Higher Learning Commission accredit public colleges, while national boards focus on private colleges and some technical schools. A college without accreditation does not meet these standards and is probably a scam. Luckily, colleges with accreditation make it easy to find out which accreditations they have.

When looking at accredited online colleges in Illinois, you may also find programmatic accreditation. This type of accreditation is when a department or program within a college seeks out additional accreditation by a professional organization in the field. These accreditations show a program is held to additional standards. You can still get a perfectly good education from a school without programmatic accreditations, but it is worth looking for when considering where to study. It is important to note that not all majors are subject to such programmatic accreditations.

Scholarships for Illinois Online College Students

Scholarships are a great way to help pay for tuition, as they do not need to be repaid. They are competitive and usually target specific student populations, such as women, students enrolled within a specific major, or residents of a specific county.

Resources for Students in Illinois

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid: Submitting a FAFSA should be your first step when looking for financial aid. Doing so allows you to qualify for financial aid from the United States Department of Education and is required for many college applications. States and other sources of financial aid also tend to require you to submit a FAFSA.
• Illinois Board of Higher Education: Created to manage and organize the growing state university system, the IBHE offers a wealth of information to students considering higher education in the state. You can learn about the goals and affairs of the board as well as policy information and data related to enrollment.
• Illinois State Website: This is a valuable resource for anyone who lives, works, or studies in Illinois. Whether you want to get a driver’s license, see how to qualify as a resident, or learn about taxes, it’s worth giving this site a look before you enroll at an online college in Illinois.
• The Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities: This organization is one of the oldest of its type in the country, and represents private, non-profit institutions of higher education in Illinois. If you are interested in attending a private college, you can find information here that will help you make that decision.
• Illinois Education Association: Though a professional organization of educators within the state, the IEA is heavily invested in the state of education at all levels within Illinois. They offer a wealth of resources of use not only to members but to students and parents as well.

Online Schools in Illinois