Joliet Junior College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Joliet Junior College charges a net price of $1,672/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $6,688. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,889, 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, Joliet Junior College does not clear its cost — it ranks #59 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) | $1,672/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $6,688 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,889 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,471/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,711 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$116,108 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Joliet Junior College's own numbers. Net price $1,672 × 4 years = $6,688 total. Median earnings $42,889 fall $5,471 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 $6,688 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Joliet Junior College students graduate with?
A median $9,711 in federal loans among completers, or 23% of the $42,889 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Joliet Junior College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,688 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $31,848 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Joliet Junior College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $1,672 net price runs $12,078 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $48,312 less across the full degree.