City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College — ROI, Cost & Payback
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College charges a net price of $7,863/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $31,452. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,484, 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-Harry S Truman College does not clear its cost — it ranks #91 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) | $7,863/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $31,452 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,484 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,876/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,997 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$268,972 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College's own numbers. Net price $7,863 × 4 years = $31,452 total. Median earnings $36,484 fall $11,876 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 $31,452 bill in about 3.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College students graduate with?
A median $6,997 in federal loans among completers, or 19% of the $36,484 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-Harry S Truman College students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,452 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $98,288 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $7,863 net price runs $5,887 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $23,548 less across the full degree.