Chicago State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Chicago State University charges a net price of $12,335/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $49,340. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,778, 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, Chicago State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #66 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) | $12,335/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $49,340 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,778 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,582/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $30,625 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$160,980 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Chicago State University's own numbers. Net price $12,335 × 4 years = $49,340 total. Median earnings $42,778 fall $5,582 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 $49,340 bill in about 4.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Chicago State University students graduate with?
A median $30,625 in federal loans among completers, or 72% of the $42,778 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Chicago State University students graduate?
15% finish their degree — 85% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $49,340 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $328,933 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Chicago State University expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $12,335 net price runs $1,415 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $5,660 less across the full degree.