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Palos ParkPhoto: Crosbiesmith · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Palos Park

Moraine Valley Community College is 2 miles from Palos Park

No college sits inside Palos Park’s boundary, but Moraine Valley Community College’s campus in Palos Hills, with 9,764 students on campus, is 2 miles from the center of town. About 2% of Palos Park’s residents are enrolled in college, below Illinois (6%).

Moraine Valley Community College

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 Palos Park. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
15
60,607 students on campus
Nearest college
2 mi
Moraine Valley
Residents in college
2%
Below IL (6%)
Nearest community college
2 mi
Moraine Valley · $3,822 tuition
Nearest public university
11.9 mi
Chicago State · $12,754 in-state
Median household income
$122K
prices below start here

What stands out about college from Palos Park

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

A community college 2 miles awayMoraine Valley Community College has 9,764 students on campus in Palos Hills, 40% of whom graduate within three years.In-state price at Chicago StateLiving in Illinois, Chicago State University charges $12,754 in tuition and fees, the same for every student.Students are 2% of residentsBelow Illinois (6%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Palos Park

Seven private colleges within 14.5 miles, one public college within 11.9 miles, and seven community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miUniversity of ChicagoMoraine ValleyLewis UniversityPalos Park
University or collegeCommunity college
Moraine Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 9,764 on campus · 2 mi · Palos Hills$3knet price40%graduate$44kearningsTuition and fees: $3,822 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Trinity Christian CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 883 on campus · 2.4 mi · Palos Heights85%admitted$19knet price58%graduate$56kearningsNorthwestern CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 273 on campus · 5.9 mi · Oak LawnSaint Xavier UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,228 on campus · 6.6 mi · Chicago84%admitted$11knet price57%graduate$59kearningsFox CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 239 on campus · 7.4 mi · Tinley Park70%admitted$13knet price71%graduate$42kearningsCity Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeCommunity college · Public · 4,708 on campus · 8.3 mi · Chicago$8knet price27%graduate$38kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Morton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,619 on campus · 11.5 mi · Cicero$5knet price31%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $5,502 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.South Suburban CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,085 on campus · 11.6 mi · South Holland$3knet price28%graduate$34kearningsTuition and fees: $5,093 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Chicago State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · 1,916 on campus · 11.9 mi · Chicago43%admitted$12knet price15%graduate$43kearningsCity Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,020 on campus · 12.4 mi · Chicago$9knet price31%graduate$28kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,061 on campus · 12.8 mi · Chicago$9knet price21%graduate$31kearningsTuition and fees: $4,590 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Lewis UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 5,289 on campus · 13.5 mi · Romeoville71%admitted$17knet price67%graduate$66kearningsPrairie State CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,611 on campus · 13.8 mi · Chicago Heights$5knet price21%graduate$37kearningsTuition and fees: $4,176 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Midwestern University-Downers GroveUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,671 on campus · 14.2 mi · Downers GroveGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.University of ChicagoUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 18,240 on campus · 14.5 mi · Chicago4%admitted$15knet price96%graduate$92kearnings

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 Palos Park’s median household income ($121,696) falls.

City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College12.8 mi · Chicago · sticker $16,126 · tuition $4,590$10,119a year
Prairie State College13.8 mi · Chicago Heights · sticker $13,908 · tuition $4,176$13,908a year
Moraine Valley Community College2 mi · Palos Hills · sticker $13,971 · tuition $3,822$13,971a year
Saint Xavier University6.6 mi · Chicago · sticker $43,244$17,864a year
Fox College7.4 mi · Tinley Park · sticker $22,971$19,041a year
Trinity Christian College2.4 mi · Palos Heights · sticker $35,012$23,986a year
Lewis University13.5 mi · Romeoville · sticker $47,313$25,035a year
Chicago State University11.9 mi · Chicago · sticker $29,764$28,427a year
University of Chicago14.5 mi · Chicago · sticker $90,360$48,524a year
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College8.3 mi · Chicago · sticker $14,086 · tuition $4,590—a year
Morton College11.5 mi · Cicero · sticker $12,801 · tuition $5,502—a year
South Suburban College11.6 mi · South Holland · sticker $10,834 · tuition $5,093—a year
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College12.4 mi · Chicago · sticker $16,256 · 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 Palos Park: 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 →Moraine ValleySaint Xavier UniversityCity Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeMorton CollegeLewis UniversityUniversity of Chicago
University of Chicago96% graduate$92k earnings$15k typical debt
Moraine Valley Community College40% graduate$44k earnings$10k typical debt
Lewis University67% graduate$66k earnings$22k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College27% graduate$38k earnings$4k typical debt
Morton College31% graduate$42k earnings$8k typical debt
Saint Xavier University57% graduate$59k earnings$22k typical debt
South Suburban College28% graduate$34k earnings
Prairie State College21% graduate$37k earnings$11k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College21% graduate$31k earnings$8k typical debt
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College31% graduate$28k earnings$6k typical debt
Chicago State University15% graduate$43k earnings$31k typical debt
Trinity Christian College58% graduate$56k earnings$25k 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.

Questions about college near Palos Park

Is Palos Park a college town?

No. About 2 of every 100 Palos Park residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below Illinois (6). The nearest campus, Moraine Valley Community College, is 2 miles away in Palos Hills.

What colleges are near Palos Park?

15 colleges are within 15 miles. The largest: the University of Chicago (14.5 miles, 18,240 students on campus), Moraine Valley Community College (2 miles, 9,764) and Lewis University (13.5 miles, 5,289).

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

Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, 2 miles away. Tuition and fees are $3,822 a year for Illinois residents; the federal net price, $2,829, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does Chicago State University cost if we live in Illinois?

Tuition and fees are $12,754 a year in-state and $12,754 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $9,073 (under $30,000 income) to $28,427 (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 Palos 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 →