City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College charges a net price of $7,886/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $31,544. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,962, 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-Richard J Daley College does not clear its cost — it ranks #86 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) | $7,886/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $31,544 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,962 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,398/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$239,504 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College's own numbers. Net price $7,886 × 4 years = $31,544 total. Median earnings $37,962 fall $10,398 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 $31,544 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College students graduate with?
A median $4,500 in federal loans among completers, or 12% of the $37,962 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-Richard J Daley College students graduate?
27% finish their degree — 73% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,544 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,830 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $7,886 net price runs $5,864 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $23,456 less across the full degree.