Black Hawk College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Black Hawk College charges a net price of $6,944/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $27,776. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,253, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Black Hawk College does not clear its cost — it ranks #87 of 116 Illinois colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,944/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $27,776 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,253 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,107/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,375 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$249,916 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Black Hawk College's own numbers. Net price $6,944 × 4 years = $27,776 total. Median earnings $37,253 fall $11,107 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $27,776 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Black Hawk College students graduate with?
A median $8,375 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $37,253 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Black Hawk College students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,776 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $69,440 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Black Hawk College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $6,944 net price runs $6,806 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $27,224 less across the full degree.