John Wood Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
John Wood Community College charges a net price of $7,050/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $14,100. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,631, 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, John Wood Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #75 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) | $7,050/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $14,100 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,631 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,729/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,029 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$208,680 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on John Wood Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,050 × 2 years = $14,100 total. Median earnings $38,631 fall $9,729 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 $14,100 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do John Wood Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,029 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $38,631 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of John Wood Community College students graduate?
49% finish their degree — 51% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $14,100 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $28,776 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is John Wood Community College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $7,050 net price runs $6,700 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $13,400 less across the full degree.