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Elmhurst City CenterPhoto: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Elmhurst

Elmhurst is home to Elmhurst University

Elmhurst University (3,251 students on campus) is inside the city. About 7% of Elmhurst’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois (6%).

Elmhurst University

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Elmhurst. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
24
104,391 students on campus
Nearest college
0.1 mi
Elmhurst University
Residents in college
7%
About the same as IL (6%)
Nearest community college
5.4 mi
Triton College · $5,070 tuition
Nearest public university
12.9 mi
Northeastern Illinois University · $12,383 in-state
Median household income
$150K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Elmhurst

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A university in ElmhurstElmhurst University has 3,251 students on campus in Elmhurst, 70% of whom graduate within six years.A community college 5.4 miles awayTriton College in River Grove: tuition and fees $5,070 a year for Illinois residents.In-state price at Northeastern Illinois UniversityLiving in Illinois, Northeastern Illinois University charges $12,383 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $22,726. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 7% of residentsAbout the same as Illinois (6%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Elmhurst

14 private colleges within 14.2 miles, one public college within 12.9 miles, and nine community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miCollege of DuPageWilliam Rainey Harper CollegeMoraine ValleyElmhurst
University or collegeCommunity college
Elmhurst UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,251 on campus · In Elmhurst74%admitted$24knet price70%graduate$61kearningsNational University of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 481 on campus · 4.3 mi · Lombard$59kearningsTriton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 8,418 on campus · 5.4 mi · River Grove$4knet price29%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $5,070 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Midwestern University-Downers GroveUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,671 on campus · 5.5 mi · Downers GroveGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose ParkUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,345 on campus · 5.8 mi · Melrose Park$26knet price68%graduate$39kearningsEarnings are reported for all 8 campuses that file with it.Chamberlain University-IllinoisUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,540 on campus · 6.1 mi · Addison · mostly online83%admitted$32knet price42%graduate$92kearnings91% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Earnings are reported for all 15 campuses that file with it.Dominican UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,726 on campus · 6.2 mi · River Forest90%admitted$12knet price55%graduate$60kearningsConcordia University-ChicagoUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,535 on campus · 6.9 mi · River Forest · mostly online93%admitted$18knet price36%graduate$54kearnings70% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.College of DuPageCommunity college · Public · 18,795 on campus · 7.6 mi · Glen Ellyn$7knet price25%graduate$47kearningsTuition and fees: $4,560 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Wheaton CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,613 on campus · 8.2 mi · Wheaton87%admitted$27knet price85%graduate$64kearningsCity Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeCommunity college · Public · 5,977 on campus · 9.1 mi · Chicago$6knet price31%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Morton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,619 on campus · 10.6 mi · Cicero$5knet price31%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $5,502 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.DeVry University-IllinoisUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,101 on campus · 10.9 mi · Lisle · mostly online98%admitted$31knet price37%graduate$46kearnings96% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Earnings are reported for all 11 campuses that file with it.Benedictine UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,940 on campus · 11.4 mi · Lisle95%admitted$22knet price50%graduate$63kearningsOakton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 5,024 on campus · 11.8 mi · Des Plaines$5knet price37%graduate$48kearningsTuition and fees: $3,985 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Hebrew Theological CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 190 on campus · 12.2 mi · Skokie57%admitted$27knet price50%graduate$33kearningsNortheastern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · 4,492 on campus · 12.9 mi · Chicago75%admitted$14knet price22%graduate$52kearningsNorth Central CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,649 on campus · 13.2 mi · Naperville77%admitted$21knet price64%graduate$60kearningsNorth Park UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,385 on campus · 13.2 mi · Chicago69%admitted$17knet price58%graduate$60kearningsCity Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeCommunity college · Public · 5,516 on campus · 13.9 mi · Chicago$7knet price18%graduate$32kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Rush UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,757 on campus · 14.2 mi · Chicago$75kearningsWilliam Rainey Harper CollegeCommunity college · Public · 10,894 on campus · 14.4 mi · Palatine$12knet price48%graduate$48kearningsTuition and fees: $3,894 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeCommunity college · Public · 4,708 on campus · 14.9 mi · Chicago$8knet price27%graduate$38kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Moraine Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 9,764 on campus · 15 mi · Palos Hills$3knet price40%graduate$44kearningsTuition and fees: $3,822 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at Over $110k, where Elmhurst’s median household income ($149,644) falls.

Oakton College11.8 mi · Des Plaines · sticker $11,431 · tuition $3,985$11,431a year
Triton College5.4 mi · River Grove · sticker $12,235 · tuition $5,070$12,235a year
Moraine Valley Community College15 mi · Palos Hills · sticker $13,971 · tuition $3,822$13,971a year
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College13.9 mi · Chicago · sticker $14,355 · tuition $4,590$14,355a year
College of DuPage7.6 mi · Glen Ellyn · sticker $15,554 · tuition $4,560$15,308a year
Dominican University6.2 mi · River Forest · sticker $43,891$17,963a year
William Rainey Harper College14.4 mi · Palatine · sticker $19,288 · tuition $3,894$18,676a year
North Park University13.2 mi · Chicago · sticker $44,172$22,964a year
Concordia University-Chicago6.9 mi · River Forest · mostly online · sticker $45,383$23,907a year
Northeastern Illinois University12.9 mi · Chicago · sticker $26,960$25,001a year
North Central College13.2 mi · Naperville · sticker $57,219$26,961a year
Benedictine University11.4 mi · Lisle · sticker $46,713$27,454a year
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park5.8 mi · Melrose Park · sticker $29,496$28,983a year
Elmhurst UniversityIn Elmhurst · sticker $54,679$30,232a year
Wheaton College8.2 mi · Wheaton · sticker $59,263$33,435a year
Hebrew Theological College12.2 mi · Skokie · sticker $35,559$35,059a year
DeVry University-Illinois10.9 mi · Lisle · mostly online · sticker $38,660$35,359a year
Chamberlain University-Illinois6.1 mi · Addison · mostly online · sticker $40,826$40,826a year
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College9.1 mi · Chicago · sticker $13,762 · tuition $4,590—a year
Morton College10.6 mi · Cicero · sticker $12,801 · tuition $5,502—a year
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College14.9 mi · Chicago · sticker $14,086 · tuition $4,590—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Elmhurst: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →Triton CollegeCollege of DuPageWilliam Rainey Harper CollegeMoraine Valley
College of DuPage25% graduate$47k earnings$10k typical debt
William Rainey Harper College48% graduate$48k earnings$10k typical debt
Moraine Valley Community College40% graduate$44k earnings$10k typical debt
Triton College29% graduate$42k earnings$9k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College31% graduate$42k earnings$6k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College18% graduate$32k earnings$8k typical debt
Oakton College37% graduate$48k earnings$5k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College27% graduate$38k earnings$4k typical debt
Northeastern Illinois University22% graduate$52k earnings$15k typical debt
Morton College31% graduate$42k earnings$8k typical debt
Elmhurst University70% graduate$61k earnings$20k typical debt
Dominican University55% graduate$60k earnings$24k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park (8); Chamberlain University-Illinois (15); DeVry University-Illinois (11).

Majors

What students study in Elmhurst

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at Elmhurst University, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Health professions 18%Business 18%Education 12%Psychology 10%Visual & performing arts 9%Parks & recreation 7%Everything else 26%

Biggest programs

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing114 graduates a year
$79k4 yrs out
Psychology, General88 graduates a year
$52k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations84 graduates a year
$77k4 yrs out
Finance and Financial Management Services42 graduates a year
$76k4 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods40 graduates a year
$52k4 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas39 graduates a year
$56k4 yrs out
Biology, General39 graduates a year
$60k4 yrs out
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services35 graduates a year
$60k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Elmhurst

Is Elmhurst a college town?

No. About 7 of every 100 Elmhurst residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as Illinois (6). The largest campus in the city, Elmhurst University, has 3,251 students on campus.

What colleges are in Elmhurst?

Elmhurst University is inside the city. Triton College is 5.4 miles away in River Grove.

What is the closest community college to Elmhurst, and what does it cost?

Triton College in River Grove, 5.4 miles away. Tuition and fees are $5,070 a year for Illinois residents; the federal net price, $4,138, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does Northeastern Illinois University cost if we live in Illinois?

Tuition and fees are $12,383 a year in-state and $22,726 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $13,709 (under $30,000 income) to $25,001 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Elmhurst. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →