Waubonsee Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Waubonsee Community College charges a net price of $11,442/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $22,884. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,788, 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, Waubonsee Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #54 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) | $11,442/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $22,884 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,788 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,572/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$94,324 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Waubonsee Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,442 × 2 years = $22,884 total. Median earnings $44,788 fall $3,572 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 $22,884 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Waubonsee Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,000 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $44,788 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Waubonsee Community College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,884 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $58,677 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Waubonsee Community College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $11,442 net price runs $2,308 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $4,616 less across the full degree.