Best Computer Programmer programs in Illinois, ranked by enrollment
Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals.
70 schools in Illinois run programs that feed this job, graduating 7,320 people a year. The job pays a median of $72,540 in Illinois across about 1,280 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Illinois that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
14 programs in Illinois that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Illinois (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Illinois page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701In Illinois → | 5,709 | 78.0% | 42 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | Computer Programming/Programmer, Generalmain feeder CIP 11.0201In Illinois → | 556 | 7.6% | 25 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 3 | CIP 52.1201In Illinois → | 385 | 5.3% | 11 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 4 | Computer Programming, Specific Applicationsmain feeder CIP 11.0202In Illinois → | 297 | 4.1% | 11 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 5 | CIP 30.7101In Illinois → | 257 | 3.5% | 2 | — | — |
| 6 | Computer Programming, Othermain feeder CIP 11.0299In Illinois → | 61 | 0.8% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0902In Illinois → | 24 | 0.3% | 1 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 8 | CIP 11.0803In Illinois → | 12 | 0.2% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 9 | CIP 30.7199In Illinois → | 10 | 0.1% | 1 | — | — |
| 10 | CIP 11.0203In Illinois → | 4 | 0.1% | 2 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 11 | CIP 11.0804In Illinois → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 12 | Computer Game Programmingmain feeder CIP 11.0204In Illinois → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 13 | Computer Programming, Specific Platformsmain feeder CIP 11.0205In Illinois → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 14 | CIP 15.1204In Illinois → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
Top 25 schools in Illinois
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 24 of the 70 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,684 | Computer Science | $124,530 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 2 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 802 | Computer Science | $86,005 | 75% | $19,899 | 55% |
| 3 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 765 | Computer Science | $117,578 | 96% | $13,333 | 4% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 586 | Computer Science | $78,040 | 62% | — | 77% |
| 5 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 426 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | $72,234 | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 6 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 336 | Computer Science | $99,981 | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 7 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 315 | Computer Science | $60,726 | 67% | $17,632 | 71% |
| 8 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 265 | Computer Science | $72,657 | 53% | — | 86% |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 214 | Computer Science | $77,257 | 49% | — | 70% |
| 10 | Benedictine University Lisle, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 210 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 50% | $23,570 | 95% |
| 11 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 204 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | — | 25% | — | — |
| 12 | Governors State University University Park, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 159 | Computer Science | $52,115 | 22% | — | 48% |
| 13 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 109 | Computer Science | $41,976 | 35% | $21,085 | 97% |
| 14 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 99 | Computer Science | $81,363 | 65% | — | 88% |
| 15 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 97 | Computer Science | $62,831 | 22% | — | 75% |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 89 | Computer Science | $76,106 | 57% | — | 97% |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 89 | Computer Science | $70,053 | 62% | — | 87% |
| 18 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 81 | Management Information Systems, General | $67,801 | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 19 | Chicago State University Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 75 | Computer Science | — | 15% | — | 43% |
| 20 | DeVry University - Illinois Lisle, IL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 37% | $32,381 | 98% |
| 21 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 54 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 40% | — | — |
| 22 | Bradley University Peoria, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Computer Science | $66,457 | 76% | $21,768 | 77% |
| 23 | Augustana College Rock Island, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 34 | Computer Science | $74,745 | 73% | $14,960 | 63% |
| 24 | Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 21% | — | — |
| 25 | Parkland College Champaign, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 32 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 32% | — | — |
All 70 schools in Illinois
Every school in Illinois with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign | Champaign | Public | 1,684 | 1 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 802 | 2 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 765 | 3 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public | 586 | 1 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 426 | 4 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 336 | 1 |
| Lewis University | Romeoville | Private not-for-profit | 315 | 1 |
| University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield | Public | 265 | 1 |
| Northern Illinois University | Dekalb | Public | 214 | 1 |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private not-for-profit | 210 | 3 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public | 204 | 2 |
| Governors State University | University Park | Public | 159 | 1 |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 109 | 1 |
| Illinois State University | Normal | Public | 99 | 2 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 97 | 1 |
What computer programmers earn in Illinois
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $100,390. Illinois pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Illinois
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Computer Programmers page.
How to become a Computer Programmer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Illinois
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 17 majors mapped to Computer Programmers17 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- 11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
- 11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
- 11.0204Computer Game Programming
- 11.0205Computer Programming, Specific Platforms
- 11.0299Computer Programming, Other
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0803Computer Graphics
- 11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- 11.0902Cloud Computing
- 15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
- 30.3001Computational Science
- 30.7101Data Analytics, General
- 30.7103Data Visualization
- 30.7199Data Analytics, Other
- 51.0709Medical Office Computer Specialist/Assistant
- 52.1201Management Information Systems, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing computer programmers programs in Illinois.
What degree do you need to become a Computer Programmer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 5,709 degrees in Illinois in 2024-25, 78.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer Programmer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 14 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer Science, Computer Programming, Management Information Systems and Services, Data Analytics, plus 3 more. Together they graduate about 7,320 people a year in Illinois.
How much do computer programmers earn in Illinois?+
The median is $72,540 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 27.7% below the U.S. median of $100,390. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer programmers growing?+
BLS projects a -6.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 5,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Illinois?+
70 institutions in Illinois reported graduates from at least one of the 14 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer programmers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Programmer, Analyst Programmer, Programmer Analyst, Computer Programmer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1251.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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