Blackburn College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Blackburn College charges a net price of $18,460/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $73,840. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,802, 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, Blackburn College does not clear its cost — it ranks #57 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) | $18,460/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $73,840 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,802 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,558/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,242 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$105,000 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Blackburn College's own numbers. Net price $18,460 × 4 years = $73,840 total. Median earnings $46,802 fall $1,558 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 $73,840 bill in about 7.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Blackburn College students graduate with?
A median $24,242 in federal loans among completers, or 52% of the $46,802 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Blackburn College students graduate?
57% finish their degree — 43% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $73,840 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $129,544 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Blackburn College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $18,460 net price runs $4,710 above the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, or $18,840 more across the full degree.