Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park charges a net price of $25,598/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $102,392. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,683, 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, Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park does not clear its cost — it ranks #98 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) | $25,598/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $102,392 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,683 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,677/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$295,932 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park's own numbers. Net price $25,598 × 4 years = $102,392 total. Median earnings $38,683 fall $9,677 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 $102,392 bill in about 10.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park students graduate with?
A median $11,250 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $38,683 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $102,392 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $150,576 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $25,598 net price runs $11,848 above the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, or $47,392 more across the full degree.