Accounting Degree Programs in Bloomington, IL (2026)

Quick answer: Accountants and Auditors in the Bloomington area earn a median $76,510 per year, below the national median of $83,680, and the metro employs about 750 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Accounting Pay in Bloomington, IL

MetricBloomington metroIllinoisNational
Median annual wage$76,510$80,230$83,680
10th percentile$49,250$54,510$56,020
25th percentile$61,410$66,290$67,020
75th percentile$91,730$102,270$109,810
90th percentile$117,910$131,990$144,090
Employment75054,9301,449,500
Location quotient0.91-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Bloomington, IL metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Bloomington median of $76,510 is below the national median of $83,680, and below the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.91 means accountants and auditors are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Accounting employment follows the local concentration of corporate headquarters, public accounting firms and government offices.

Other Illinois Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Chicago$82,36041,360
Springfield$86,4401,600
Peoria$79,5401,350
Rockford$75,260850
Champaign$69,670730
Decatur$76,720260
Kankakee$71,610210

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Accounting work does not require a license, but the CPA credential does: it is issued by a state board of accountancy, and the Uniform CPA Examination is administered through AICPA and NASBA. The education requirement commonly exceeds what a bachelor’s degree alone provides, and the exact rule is set by each state board and has been changing. Business programs may be accredited by AACSB, ACBSP or IACBE.

See the Illinois licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state board of accountancy.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Moraine Valley Community College

Palos Hills, IL 102.7 miles away BOC Score 60.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 36.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 68
  • Annual completions: 3520
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,357 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Waubonsee Community College

Sugar Grove, IL 95.0 miles away BOC Score 59.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 45
  • Annual completions: 1275
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,678 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Sauk Valley Community College

Dixon, IL 98.3 miles away BOC Score 59.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 50.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 32
  • Annual completions: 639
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,209 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Illinois Valley Community College

Oglesby, IL 57.7 miles away BOC Score 58.3
Tuition $4,200 - $16,385
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 43.3%
  • Programs offered: 51
  • Annual completions: 1552
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,989 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Richland Community College

Decatur, IL 41.0 miles away BOC Score 53.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 52.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 64
  • Annual completions: 605
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,785 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Kankakee Community College

Kankakee, IL 72.4 miles away BOC Score 53.4
Tuition $5,220 - $25,830
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 35.1%
  • Programs offered: 54
  • Annual completions: 875
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,343 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Heartland Community College

Normal, IL 4.7 miles away BOC Score 51.7
Tuition $5,550 - $16,727
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 52.7%
  • Programs offered: 45
  • Annual completions: 1236
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,942 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL 33.0 miles away BOC Score 50.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67
  • Annual completions: 2210
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,058 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Prairie State College

Chicago Heights, IL 100.4 miles away BOC Score 47.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 20.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 60
  • Annual completions: 896
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,647 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Danville Area Community College

Danville, IL 76.4 miles away BOC Score 41.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 41.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 67
  • Annual completions: 523
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,299 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do accountants and auditors make in Bloomington?

The median annual wage for accountants and auditors in the Bloomington, IL metro area is $76,510, below the national median of $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many accountants and auditors work in the Bloomington area?

The Bloomington, IL metro area employs about 750 accountants and auditors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do accountants and auditors in Bloomington need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Accounting work does not require a license, but the CPA credential does: it is issued by a state board of accountancy, and the Uniform CPA Examination is administered through AICPA and NASBA. The education requirement commonly exceeds what a bachelor's degree alone provides, and the exact rule is set by each state board and has been changing. Business programs may be accredited by AACSB, ACBSP or IACBE. Confirm current requirements with your state board of accountancy.

Can I study accounting online from Bloomington?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state board of accountancy.

Is Bloomington a better market than the rest of Illinois?

The Bloomington metro median is $76,510 against a statewide median of $80,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.