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Key Takeaways
Best network administration degree programs: DePaul, Illinois State, Lewis
Ranked by graduation rates, program outcomes, and institutional quality
Tuition ranges from $5,160 to $50,270/year
Moraine Valley Community ... offers the most affordable option at $7,968/yr
Network Administration degree programs available: 30 associate's, 8 master's in Illinois
From community college pathways to advanced research degrees
18 online network administration degree programs in Illinois
Flexible scheduling for working professionals
Illinois community college transfer can save 40-60% on total degree costs
30 associate's programs provide transfer pathways to bachelor's degrees
Education Commission of the States
Major employers: Salesforce, Google, Groupon, Grubhub
Tech hubs in Chicago and Naperville
Hakia Research 2026
Network Administration degree programs near 113+ cities across Illinois
Search by city to find programs within 200 miles of your location
Updated July 13, 2026
How we ranked Illinois Network Administration programs
We rank 54 accredited network administration programs in Illinois using IPEDS 2024 institutional data, BLS OEWS 2024 state salary data, and College Scorecard outcomes. A 4-factor weighted composite is normalized to a 0–100 score. Schools cannot pay for placement; rankings are produced algorithmically.
Are Network Administration Degree Programs in Illinois Worth It?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Network Administration Degree Rankings in Illinois
Compare the top-ranked Network Administration programs in Illinois by degree level. Tuition, graduation rate, and Hakia Score for every accredited program.
Best Associate's Network Administration Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois offers 30 accredited associate's degree programs in network administration, providing an affordable entry point into the technology field. The top-ranked programs include College of DuPage, Joliet Junior College, DeVry University-Illinois, which combine rigorous technical curriculum with practical skills training.
Costs & Value
Community colleges in Illinois offer these two-year programs at an average cost of $9,603/yr, significantly less than four-year university tuition. Students completing associate's degrees can pursue entry-level technical positions and transfer opportunities, with entry-level salaries averaging $62,260 in Illinois.
Career Pathways
Many programs feature guaranteed transfer agreements with Illinois's public universities, allowing students to complete their first two years at reduced cost before transferring to complete a bachelor's degree. The Chicago, Naperville, Champaign areas offer particularly strong job markets for associate's degree holders, with employers like Salesforce, Google, Groupon hiring for technical support, junior development, and IT specialist positions.
Curriculum & Specializations
Programs typically include coursework in programming fundamentals, database management, networking basics, and software development. Among network administration schools in Illinois, these associate's programs offer the best value for students beginning their network administration degrees in Illinois.
Rasmussen University-Illinois
Show all 6 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | Parkland College | Champaign, IL | Public | $9,072 | 32% | 68.4 |
Network Administration Degree Costs & Tuition in Illinois
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average in-state tuition | $17,242/year |
| Average out-of-state tuition | $43,105/year |
| Community college tuition | $4,311/year |
| 4-year savings for residents | $103,452 |
| 2+2 transfer pathway savings | $25,862 |
Source: IPEDS 2024
Financial Aid & Scholarships for Network Administration Students in Illinois
State Aid Programs
The MAP Grant provides need-based support for Illinois residents. Awards range from $300 to $8,064 annually (ISAC). Combined with Federal Pell Grants (up to $7,395), community college networking programs become highly affordable.
Key Programs & Amounts
Additional funding opportunities:
- Workforce development grants: Some programs qualify for workforce funding
- Employer sponsorship: Many employers reimburse certification costs
- VA benefits: Cover certifications and degree programs for veterans
- CompTIA/Cisco scholarships: Industry organizations offer awards
Institutional Scholarships
Certifications may have separate funding.
Workforce development programs sometimes cover certification exam costs. Employers frequently reimburse certification expenses. VA benefits cover certification exams. The relatively low cost of certifications makes network administration an accessible career path.
Network Administration Degree ROI Calculator, Illinois
Use our interactive ROI calculator to estimate your return on investment for a network administration degree in Illinois. Enter your expected tuition costs, financial aid, and career goals to see projected payback periods and lifetime earnings. The calculator uses current salary data from BLS and tuition data from IPEDS to provide accurate estimates.
Network Administration Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your return on investment for a network administration degree
Leave blank to use average cost for selected program type
+802%
Net gain divided by total investment. ROI above 200% is considered excellent for education investments.
$1,483,492
Your additional lifetime earnings with this degree vs. working without one, minus the total investment.
5 years
Years until your cumulative earnings exceed total investment. Shorter programs often break even faster due to lower opportunity cost.
$123,810
Your starting salary adjusted for local cost of living. This shows real purchasing power compared to a $100K national baseline.
Why does break-even change with program type? Your "total investment" includes both tuition AND opportunity cost (foregone earnings while in school). A 4-year full-time public university (in-state) means 4 years of not earning a salary ($140,000 in opportunity cost). Shorter full-time programs may have higher tuition but lower total investment because you return to the workforce sooner.
Detailed Breakdown
How we calculate your degree ROI using real salary data
Tuition plus opportunity cost (earnings you miss while in school)
Direct cost of the degree program
4 years × $35K/year foregone salary while studying full-time
Projected career earnings starting after graduation, with salary growth
What you'd earn working at $35K/year with 2% annual growth
Median salary for this role in your selected location (BLS 2024)
Your investment's compound annual growth rate (similar to stock market returns)
Data sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, IPEDS 2024. Calculations use median salaries, 3% discount rate, and assume salary growth declines from 6% to 2% over career. Individual results will vary. | Powered by Hakia.com
Network Administration Salaries by Metro Area
Median annual salary in Illinois metro areas
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Chicago | $125K |
| Naperville | $119K |
| Champaign | $113K |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Hakia.com
Top Employers Hiring Network Administration Graduates in Illinois
Find network administration jobs in Illinois. These major employers across Illinois metro areas are actively hiring network administration degree holders. Click employer names to view current job openings.
Network Administration Jobs in Chicago
ILChicago is a fintech and trading technology hub. CME Group and numerous trading firms drive demand for tech talent.
Nearby cities: Evanston, Oak Brook, Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, Downers Grove, Skokie
Illinois Tech Industry & Infrastructure
Illinois — and specifically the Chicago metro — is the largest US Midwest tech hub and uniquely combines financial-services tech (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel before its move, Morningstar) with a deep enterprise/IT employer base (Caterpillar, Boeing, Walgreens, McDonald's IT). The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign CS program is one of the largest CS-graduate producers in the country.
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Trading and financial-services tech hub (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel Securities, Jump Trading), plus major Chicago offices for Google, Meta, Salesforce. Northwestern, UChicago, and UIUC alumni concentrate here.
Urbana-Champaign
Champaign metro
UIUC research and startup spinout hub. UIUC's CS program produces one of the largest US bachelor's CS graduate cohorts; Research Park hosts engineering offices for John Deere, Yahoo, ADM, and others.
Illinois has a flat-rate state income tax. The state offers EDGE tax credits for qualifying tech-employer investments.
Illinois Regulation Affecting Network Administration Graduates
Illinois has the most stringent biometric-privacy law in the United States. For ML, AI, and identity-verification engineers, Illinois BIPA is a foundational compliance constraint that has reshaped product design at major US tech employers.
Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
Strictest US biometric privacy law. Requires written consent before collecting, storing, or using biometric identifiers (fingerprints, facial geometry, voiceprints). Provides a private right of action — including statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation.
Critical for any engineer building face-recognition, fingerprint, voice-print, or similar biometric features. BIPA litigation has produced settlements in the hundreds of millions (Facebook: $650M, TikTok: $92M). Most major US tech companies have modified product behavior specifically to avoid BIPA exposure.
Read moreIllinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)
Requires reasonable security measures for personal information and sets data-breach notification requirements.
Standard data-protection compliance for any IL-resident-serving business.
Read moreIllinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act
Employers using AI to analyze video interviews must notify candidates, obtain consent, explain how the AI works, and limit data sharing.
AI/ML engineers building hiring-tech serving Illinois employers must implement consent flows and AI-explanation interfaces.
Read moreProfessional Engineer Licensure in Illinois
Illinois does not currently administer a separate Software Engineering PE license. Standard engineering PE disciplines (mechanical, electrical) require ABET-EAC accreditation; software engineering specifically is not a Illinois-recognized PE discipline.
Illinois licensing boardIllinois Financial Aid Programs
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant
State grantUp to ~$8,400/yr
Illinois residents with financial need at IL institutions
AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program
Merit-need hybridUp to in-state tuition coverage
Illinois residents with academic merit and financial need at IL public universities
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship
State scholarshipUp to $7,500/yr
Minority IL residents pursuing teaching credentials; CS/tech education tracks eligible
Transfer Pathways for Network Administration Degrees in Illinois
State Transfer System
Community colleges provide excellent network foundations.
Harper College, College of DuPage, Triton, and other Illinois community colleges offer Cisco and CompTIA preparation. Students can earn certifications while completing associate degrees, then transfer to four-year programs. The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) enables transfer of foundational courses.
How Transfers Work
Strategic network career preparation:
- 1Earn certifications early: CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA while at community college
- 2Complete technical courses: Networking, operating systems, security
- 3Build lab experience: Home labs, packet tracer, GNS3
- 4Work while studying: Part-time IT support builds experience Certifications provide immediate career entry while pursuing degrees.
Transfer Planning Tips
The certification-first pathway is common in networking.
Many successful network administrators enter with certifications and associate degrees, gaining experience before pursuing bachelor's degrees. This approach combines education with practical experience. Associate degrees plus certifications save $15,000-$30,000 compared to traditional four-year paths.
Illinois's Tech Ecosystem
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, CompTIA State of Tech Workforce 2025, Glassdoor
Network Administration Job Market & Salary Data in Illinois
Employment Outlook
Illinois's network administration market shows consistent demand with the BLS projecting 3% growth for network administrators and expanding roles in cloud networking, SDN, and network security (BLS OEWS May 2024). Chicago's data center concentration, growing rapidly with cloud provider expansion, creates additional network opportunities.
Salaries by Metro
Salary ranges by specialization:
- Network Architects: $130,000-$170,000
- Senior Network Engineers: $110,000-$145,000
- Network Engineers (Mid-Level): $85,000-$110,000
- Network Administrators: $70,000-$95,000
- Entry-Level/Help Desk: $50,000-$65,000 Trading firms and financial services pay premium salaries for network expertise. Cloud and SD-WAN skills command additional premiums (Glassdoor).
High-Growth Sectors
High-demand network skills include: Cisco routing/switching, cloud networking (AWS, Azure), software-defined networking (SDN), network security/firewalls, automation (Python, Ansible), and monitoring tools. Financial services emphasize low-latency networking and redundancy. For related paths, explore cybersecurity or information technology programs.
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)
New graduates and career changers
Senior (8+ yrs)
Technical leads and architects
Online vs On-Campus Network Administration Programs in Illinois
Online Programs
18 available in Illinois
On-Campus Programs
Traditional classroom experience
Compare Network Administration Programs in Other States
- Total Programs
- 27
- Median Tuition
- $4,400
- Total Programs
- 14
- Median Tuition
- $9,800
- Total Programs
- 7
- Median Tuition
- $10,500
- Total Programs
- 27
- Median Tuition
- $8,200
- Total Programs
- 14
- Median Tuition
- $5,900
- Total Programs
- 72
- Median Tuition
- $1,300
- Total Programs
- 37
- Median Tuition
- $4,500
- Total Programs
- 53
- Median Tuition
- $6,000
Network Administration Degree Programs in Illinois: FAQ
What are the best network administration degree programs in Illinois?
How much do network administration degree programs cost in Illinois?
What salary can network administration degree graduates earn in Illinois?
Are there online network administration degree programs in Illinois?
What companies hire network administration degree graduates in Illinois?
Is a network administration degree program worth it in Illinois?
How long do network administration degree programs take in Illinois?
What financial aid is available for network administration degree students in Illinois?
Data Sources
Institutional characteristics, completions, graduation rates
Illinois salary and employment data
Program details and admissions information
Last Updated: June 26, 2026. Rankings based on IPEDS 2024 data. Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.