Generations College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Generations College charges a net price of $18,894/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $37,788. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,706, 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, Generations College does not clear its cost — it ranks #101 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) | $18,894/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $37,788 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,706 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,654/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$310,868 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Generations College's own numbers. Net price $18,894 × 2 years = $37,788 total. Median earnings $34,706 fall $13,654 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 $37,788 bill in about 3.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Generations College students graduate with?
A median $25,250 in federal loans among completers, or 73% of the $34,706 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Generations College students graduate?
11% finish their degree — 89% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $37,788 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $343,527 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Generations College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $18,894 net price runs $5,144 above the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, or $10,288 more across the full degree.