City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
#7 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois- Graduation Rate
- 27% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $36,531 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $7,397 A-
- 57% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 4,207
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 32.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $32.4 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois.
Every $1 spent returns $32.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $929,691.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 27% — 52% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $32.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 4,207
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $7,397 a year after grants and scholarships — 57% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $36,531 ten years after enrolling — 10% below the typical college, against $5,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 0.95 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Just over 4,200 students are enrolled at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, where the net price for attending is an affordable $7,397. This makes it a competitive option for students seeking a low-cost pathway to higher education in the heart of Chicago.
The college's graduation rate stands at 27%, a figure that highlights the challenges many students face in completing their degrees. While specific mobility data isn't available, the college offers key programs in fields like Humanities, Business, Computer Science, and Engineering, which can enhance job prospects for graduates.
Graduates can expect to earn an average of $36,531 a decade after starting their studies. The median debt of $5,750 is manageable, especially for those who utilize Pell Grants, which are awarded to 36% of the student body. Students who thrive here tend to be those looking for a supportive environment to explore diverse fields and who are motivated to navigate the complexities of urban college life.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, located in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.
- Retention Rate
- 59%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 32%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,133
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 19:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 55%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College is $15,150, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,397. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,911 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $5,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,590
- Out-of-State
- $15,150
- Avg Net Price
- $7,397
- Median Debt
- $5,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 36%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,911
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,728
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,347
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,657
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College report median earnings of $36,531, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,483
- 8 Years
- $32,532
- 10 Years
- $36,531
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.16x
- Earning > $25K
- 38%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (112)
- 9%
- 100% (112)
- 9%
- 100% (112)
- 9%
- 100% (112)
- 9%
How City Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,397/year ($29,588 total). Graduates earn $36,531 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $959,279 in total earnings — a net gain of $929,691 (32.4× your investment). The median debt is $5,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 27% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $29,588
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $959,279
- Net Return
- $929,691
- ROI Multiple
- 32.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,397
- Median Debt
- $5,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 27%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 64%
- Business & Marketing 9%
- Computer Science & IT 1%
- Visual & Performing Arts 1%
- Engineering 1%
- Communications 0%
- Legal Studies 0%
- Education 0%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, located in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College is $15,150, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,397. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,911 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $5,750 in federal student loans.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College report median earnings of $36,531, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.95, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College.
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- Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeHampton, VA · Close peer34% grad $37,996 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Holyoke Community CollegeHolyoke, MA · Close peer31% grad $37,277 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Springfield Technical Community CollegeSpringfield, MA · Close peer29% grad $36,966 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northeast State Community CollegeBlountville, TN · Close peer33% grad $34,553 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.95, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note