City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College — ROI, Cost & Payback
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College charges a net price of $9,038/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $36,152. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,114, 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-Olive-Harvey College does not clear its cost — it ranks #108 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) | $9,038/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $36,152 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,114 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,246/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,646 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$381,072 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College's own numbers. Net price $9,038 × 4 years = $36,152 total. Median earnings $31,114 fall $17,246 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 $36,152 bill in about 3.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College students graduate with?
A median $7,646 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $31,114 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-Olive-Harvey College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $36,152 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $172,152 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $9,038 net price runs $4,712 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $18,848 less across the full degree.