City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College — ROI, Cost & Payback
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College charges a net price of $7,220/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $28,880. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,427, 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-Malcolm X College does not clear its cost — it ranks #105 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) | $7,220/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $28,880 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,427 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,933/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,375 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$347,540 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College's own numbers. Net price $7,220 × 4 years = $28,880 total. Median earnings $32,427 fall $15,933 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 $28,880 bill in about 2.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College students graduate with?
A median $8,375 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $32,427 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-Malcolm X College students graduate?
18% finish their degree — 82% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $28,880 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $160,444 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $7,220 net price runs $6,530 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $26,120 less across the full degree.