Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0Melrose Park is home to Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park (1,345 students on campus) is inside the village, and Triton College (8,418) is 1.5 miles from the center, just over the line in River Grove. About 5% of Melrose Park’s residents are enrolled in college, below Illinois (6%).
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 Melrose Park. Colleges are described, not graded.
What stands out about college in Melrose Park
Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.
Colleges within 15 miles of Melrose Park
35 private colleges within 14.8 miles, two public colleges within 11.2 miles, and 11 community colleges.
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 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.
Starts at $48–75k, where Melrose Park’s median household income ($66,189) falls.
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.
Do students finish, and does it pay?
Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Melrose Park: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.
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); Pacific College of Health and Science (3); DeVry University-Illinois (11).
What students study in Melrose Park
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
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 Melrose Park
Is Melrose Park a college town?
No. About 5 of every 100 Melrose Park residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below Illinois (6). The largest campus in the village, Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park, has 1,345 students on campus.
What colleges are in Melrose Park?
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park is inside the village. Triton College is 1.5 miles from the center, in River Grove, Elmhurst University is 4.2 miles from the center, in Elmhurst, and Dominican University is 2.1 miles from the center, in River Forest.
What is the closest community college to Melrose Park, and what does it cost?
Triton College in River Grove, 1.5 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.
Neighbors talk college
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
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 Melrose Park. 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 →