Danville Area Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Danville Area Community College charges a net price of $4,777/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $19,108. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,867, 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, Danville Area Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #97 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) | $4,777/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $19,108 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,867 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,493/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,218 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$288,968 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Danville Area Community College's own numbers. Net price $4,777 × 4 years = $19,108 total. Median earnings $34,867 fall $13,493 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 $19,108 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Danville Area Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,218 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $34,867 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Danville Area Community College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,108 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,462 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Danville Area Community College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $4,777 net price runs $8,973 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $35,892 less across the full degree.