City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College — ROI, Cost & Payback
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College charges a net price of $7,397/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $14,794. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,531, 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, City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College does not clear its cost — it ranks #88 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) | $7,397/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $14,794 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,531 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,829/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $5,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$251,374 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College's own numbers. Net price $7,397 × 2 years = $14,794 total. Median earnings $36,531 fall $11,829 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 $14,794 bill in about 1.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College students graduate with?
A median $5,750 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $36,531 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $14,794 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $56,900 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $7,397 net price runs $6,353 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $12,706 less across the full degree.