Carl Sandburg College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Carl Sandburg College charges a net price of $3,662/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $7,324. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,274, 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, Carl Sandburg College does not clear its cost — it ranks #92 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) | $3,662/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $7,324 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,274 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,086/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,909 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$269,044 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Carl Sandburg College's own numbers. Net price $3,662 × 2 years = $7,324 total. Median earnings $35,274 fall $13,086 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 $7,324 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Carl Sandburg College students graduate with?
A median $4,909 in federal loans among completers, or 14% of the $35,274 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Carl Sandburg College students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $7,324 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $14,648 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Carl Sandburg College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $3,662 net price runs $10,088 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $20,176 less across the full degree.