Lake Land College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lake Land College charges a net price of $2,254/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $9,016. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,877, 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, Lake Land College does not clear its cost — it ranks #72 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) | $2,254/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $9,016 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,877 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,483/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,188 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$198,676 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lake Land College's own numbers. Net price $2,254 × 4 years = $9,016 total. Median earnings $38,877 fall $9,483 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 $9,016 bill in about 0.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lake Land College students graduate with?
A median $6,188 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $38,877 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lake Land College students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $9,016 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $15,545 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lake Land College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $2,254 net price runs $11,496 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $45,984 less across the full degree.