Illinois · Verified September 2026

MPH Programs in Illinois

Where Can You Earn an MPH in Illinois?

16 schools in Illinois offer 19 MPH programs we verified, including Benedictine University, Chamberlain University-Illinois and Chicago State University. 12 can be taken online. Published tuition runs from $479 to $1,355 per credit.

Researched and edited by · Updated

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Who Hires MPH Graduates in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health, first organized in 1877, runs from two headquarters, in Springfield and Chicago, with seven regional offices and three laboratories. It’s organized into 12 offices, each covering a distinct area of public health. Local work runs through local health departments, and IDPH’s own health regions map shows that some areas have no local health department at all, which leaves the regional office as the public health presence there.

That split shapes where you’ll work: state jobs sit in both Chicago and Springfield, and the University of Illinois Springfield puts you in the capital, next to one of IDPH’s two headquarters.

Illinois also pays well for technical public health work. Epidemiologists earn a median $102,720 here and biostatisticians $119,760, though both are small job pools, 240 and 480 jobs. The larger markets are environmental and occupational health specialists, with 2,900 jobs at a median $98,270, and health services managers, with 22,460 jobs. See the epidemiologist career guide and the environmental health specialist guide.

Community Health Worker Certification

Illinois is one of the states building formal credentials for community health workers. The 2021 Community Health Worker Certification and Reimbursement Act told IDPH to create a CHW Certification Program, with a CHW Review Board advising on a work experience pathway and on certifying academic and community training programs. The same law directed the state’s Medicaid agency to pursue payment for services by certified CHWs. The community health worker guide covers the role.

Illinois MPH Schools Compared

16 schools in Illinois offer an MPH or a related public health master's degree. 13 are on the CEPH accredited list.

SchoolMPH programsFormatsCEPHLowest per creditCredits
Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb · Public2Campus, OnlineAccredited$75243
Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleEdwardsville · Public2Hybrid, OnlineAccredited$49942
University of Illinois ChicagoChicago · Public2 + 4Campus, OnlineAccredited46
University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield · Public2Online, Campus, HybridAccredited48
Benedictine UniversityLisle · Private nonprofit1Online, CampusAccredited43
Chamberlain University-IllinoisAddison · Private for-profit1OnlineAccredited$59043
Chicago State UniversityChicago · Public1Online, Campus42
DePaul UniversityChicago · Private nonprofit1CampusAccredited
Illinois State UniversityNormal · Public1OnlineAccredited
Loyola University ChicagoChicago · Private nonprofit1 + 1Campus, Online, HybridAccredited$1,35542
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago · Public142
Northwestern UniversityEvanston · Private nonprofit1CampusAccredited
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale · Public1OnlineProbation$47942
University of ChicagoChicago · Private nonprofit1CampusAccredited
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign · Public1 + 1Campus, OnlineAccredited
Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston · Public0 + 1

"+" counts related public health master's degrees (MS, MSPH, MHS). Per-credit rates as each school publishes them, reviewed September 2026.

26 programs in Illinois

Program facts come from each school's own program pages, reviewed September 2026. Tuition is the school's published figure with its basis; per-credit sorting uses programs that publish a per-credit rate. CEPH status comes from the CEPH accredited list.

What an MPH Costs in Illinois

5 Illinois MPH programs publish both a per-credit rate and the credits you need, so you can estimate tuition before fees. Estimates run from $20,118 to $56,910. The median published rate in Illinois is $590 per credit, against $842 for the 213 MPH programs nationwide that publish one.

ProgramPer creditCreditsEstimated tuition
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale: Master of Public Health (online)Master of Public Health (online)$47942$20,118
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville: Accelerated Online Master of Public HealthAccelerated Online Master of Public Health$49942$20,962
Chamberlain University-Illinois: Master of Public Health (online)Master of Public Health (online)$59043$25,370
Northern Illinois University: Online Master of Public HealthOnline Master of Public Health$75243$32,344
Loyola University Chicago: Master of Public HealthMaster of Public Health$1,35542$56,910

Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the published credits, before fees. Public schools usually charge non-residents more. Turn any program into a full cost and loan estimate with the MPH cost and loan calculator.

Largest Public Health Programs in Illinois

By public health master's degrees awarded in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS), University of Illinois Chicago has Illinois's largest program, followed by Benedictine University and Chamberlain University-Illinois. Size tells you how many classmates, electives and alumni to expect, not how good a program is.

SchoolPublic health master's awarded, 2022-23
University of Illinois Chicago456
Benedictine University412
Chamberlain University-Illinois156
Northern Illinois University88
Loyola University Chicago84
Northwestern University82
DePaul University44
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign44

Public Health Pay in Illinois

Among the public health jobs an MPH leads to, statisticians earn the highest median pay in Illinois, $119,760. Epidemiologists earn a median $102,720 (18% above u.s.), 7th of 43 states with a published figure, across 240 jobs.

JobMedianvs U.S. medianState rankJobs
Epidemiologists$102,72018% above U.S.7th of 43240
Statisticians (including biostatisticians)$119,76013% above U.S.5th of 46480
Health education specialists$60,1206% below U.S.35th of 531,010
Community health workers$49,2405% below U.S.30th of 522,040
Occupational health and safety specialists$98,2709% above U.S.9th of 532,900
Health information technologists and medical registrars$62,7808% below U.S.31st of 51900
Medical and health services managers$117,8505% below U.S.27th of 5422,460

Annual wages in Illinois, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. A high median on few jobs describes a small market, so read pay beside the job count.

Online MPH Options for Illinois Residents

You aren't limited to schools in Illinois: 246 online MPH programs at schools in other states accept students nationwide. Before you apply, confirm on the school's site that it can enroll Illinois residents online. These CEPH-accredited online programs have the lowest estimated tuition of any online MPH that publishes a per-credit rate and its credits:

ProgramPer creditEstimated tuition
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston: Master of Public HealthTexas$287$12,915
University of West Florida: Master of Public Health (online)Florida$386$16,206
University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Master of Public HealthNevada$383$18,013
Georgia State University: Master of Public HealthGeorgia$464$19,488
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University: Master of Public HealthNew York$471$19,782

Compare every option on the online MPH programs page, or let the program matcher rank them for you.

Matching Yourself to an Illinois Program

Thirteen Illinois schools hold CEPH accreditation. Here’s how they sort.

  • Largest and broadest: UIC. The state’s only accredited school of public health awarded 456 public health master’s degrees in 2022-23. Its MPH has nine concentrations, from Epidemiology to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, with part-time and online options. Pick UIC if you want Chicago field placements and the widest menu.
  • Fastest: Northwestern. The full-time MPH takes 12 months, with most classes in the evening, or about two years part-time.
  • Evening and hybrid for working adults: Loyola and SIU Edwardsville. SIUE’s campus MPH meets once a week in the evening, mostly in hybrid format. DePaul runs a two-year in-person MPH in Chicago with community health practice and social epidemiology concentrations.
  • Online at a public price: SIUE, SIU Carbondale, Northern Illinois, Illinois State and UIS. SIU Carbondale’s 100% online MPH focuses on health disparities and rural health but is on CEPH probation; CEPH guarantees current students an accredited degree if they finish by July 1, 2028.
  • Environmental health specialists: UIS. Its MPH in Environmental Health is STEM-designated and carries curriculum accreditation from EHAC, the National Environmental Health, Science and Protection Accreditation Council.
  • Big private online volume: Benedictine and Chamberlain. Benedictine awarded 412 public health master’s degrees in 2022-23, nearly matching UIC, and Chamberlain’s 43-credit online MPH can finish in as few as 14 months.

Chicago State, Northeastern Illinois and Eastern Illinois offer public health master’s degrees outside the CEPH list, which can rule you out of jobs that require an accredited degree. See the CEPH accreditation guide.

Getting the In-State Price in Illinois

UIC’s onsite MPH lists in-state total tuition starting at $38,900. If you live in another state, you can still get close to that: UIC’s School of Public Health offers merit-based out-of-state tuition premium waivers to domestic applicants for its onsite MPH. The waiver covers the non-resident premium for both years, so you pay the in-state equivalent. You must study full time and plan to graduate in two years, apply through SOPHAS plus UIC’s supplemental application, and accept by April 15. Offers go out first-come, first-served, so apply early.

Online, SIU Edwardsville charges $499.10 per credit hour whether you live in Illinois or not, including fees, for a 42-credit MPH you can finish in 16 to 22 months. SIU Carbondale’s online MPH is $479 per credit hour. Compare both with the affordable MPH programs list and the MPH scholarships guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Out-of-State Students Pay In-State Tuition at UIC?

Some can. UIC's School of Public Health offers merit-based out-of-state tuition premium waivers to domestic out-of-state applicants to the onsite MPH who commit to full-time study and graduating in two years. The waiver covers the non-resident premium for both years, offers go out first-come, first-served, and you must accept by April 15.

Does Illinois Certify Community Health Workers?

Yes, it's building a program. The 2021 Community Health Worker Certification and Reimbursement Act directed the Illinois Department of Public Health to create a CHW Certification Program, advised by a CHW Review Board, and directed the state Medicaid agency to pursue reimbursement for services by certified CHWs.

Is SIU Carbondale's MPH Still Accredited?

Yes, on probation. SIU Carbondale says its online MPH is on probationary status with CEPH, and CEPH guarantees current students a degree recognized as coming from an accredited unit if they finish all requirements by July 1, 2028.

Can I Finish an Illinois MPH in One Year?

Yes. Northwestern's full-time MPH runs 12 months, with most classes in the evening, and its part-time evening option takes about two years.

How Many MPH Programs Are in Illinois?

We verified 19 MPH programs and 7 related public health master's degrees at 16 schools in Illinois; 13 of those schools are CEPH accredited.

Which Illinois Schools Have CEPH-Accredited Public Health Programs?

Benedictine University, Chamberlain University-Illinois, DePaul University, Illinois State University, Loyola University Chicago, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and 5 more.

Can Illinois Residents Earn an MPH Online?

Yes. Beyond Illinois's own programs, 246 online MPH programs at schools in other states are open to students nationwide; check each program's state authorization for Illinois residents. Online MPH programs.

How Much Do Epidemiologists and Public Health Workers Earn in Illinois?

Epidemiologists: median $102,720; Statisticians (including biostatisticians): median $119,760; Health education specialists: median $60,120 (BLS, May 2025).

Nearby States

Sources

  1. Official program pages of the 16 Illinois schools listed, reviewed September 2026
  2. Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025

Every program here was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation comes from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) list, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list. How we verify programs