Highland Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Highland Community College charges a net price of $5,713/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $22,852. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,928, 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, Highland Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #85 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) | $5,713/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $22,852 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,928 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,432/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,029 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$231,492 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Highland Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,713 × 4 years = $22,852 total. Median earnings $37,928 fall $10,432 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 $22,852 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Highland Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,029 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $37,928 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Highland Community College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,852 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $50,782 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Highland Community College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $5,713 net price runs $8,037 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $32,148 less across the full degree.