City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
- Graduation Rate
- 29% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $28,467 D
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $9,494 B
- 45% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 1,777
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 20.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $20.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $755,240.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduate earnings fall 30% below the national college median.
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Graduation of 29% — 49% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 2.71% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $20.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Matters
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College is a public college in Chicago, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Construction Trades, Humanities, Culinary & Personal Services, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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 $9,494 a year after grants and scholarships — 45% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $28,467 ten years after enrolling — 30% below the typical college, against $6,180 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.7% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 14% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.62 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Just 29% of students graduate from Kennedy-King College, a stark reminder of the challenges many face in completing their degrees. With an enrollment of 1,777, this public college serves a diverse student body and offers programs in fields like construction trades, culinary arts, and business.
The earnings data highlights that graduates earn an average of $28,467 after ten years. While the college does not provide specific mobility metrics, the presence of a 38% Pell Grant rate suggests that a significant portion of the student population comes from low-income backgrounds. This context is critical for understanding the support needs of its students.
The net price for attending Kennedy-King is $9,494, and students graduate with a median debt of $6,180. Those who thrive here often seek practical skills in high-demand fields. With a focus on trades and applied sciences, the college aims to equip students for immediate employment opportunities.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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-Kennedy-King College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College, located in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
- Retention Rate
- 50%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 48%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,759
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.49
- First-Gen Students
- 50%
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-Kennedy-King College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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 $9,494. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,332 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,180 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,590
- Out-of-State
- $15,150
- Avg Net Price
- $9,494
- Median Debt
- $6,180
- Pell Grant Rate
- 38%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 3%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,332
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $9,053
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $11,310
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College report median earnings of $28,467, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $22,119
- 8 Years
- $23,557
- 10 Years
- $28,467
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 34%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (55)
- 24%
- 100% (55)
- 24%
- 100% (55)
- 24%
- 100% (55)
- 24%
How City Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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-Kennedy-King College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,494/year ($37,976 total). Graduates earn $28,467 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $793,216 in total earnings — a net gain of $755,240 (20.9× your investment). The median debt is $6,180, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 29% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $37,976
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $793,216
- Net Return
- $755,240
- ROI Multiple
- 20.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $9,494
- Median Debt
- $6,180
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 29%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.71%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 28.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $39,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.71%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 9.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 28.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $39,400
Top Programs
The fields City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Construction Trades 24%
- Humanities 20%
- Culinary & Personal Services 15%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 13%
- Business & Marketing 5%
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Precision Production 3%
- Health Professions 3%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College, located in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King 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 $9,494. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,332 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,180 in federal student loans.
Is City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College report median earnings of $28,467, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.71%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 28.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $39,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.62, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 1% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College.
- City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey CollegeChicago, IL · Close peer21% grad $31,114 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Fletcher Technical Community CollegeSchriever, LA · Close peer27% grad $32,189 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- H Councill Trenholm State Community CollegeMontgomery, AL · Close peer16% grad $32,183 earnWhy: similar size
- National Park CollegeHot Springs, AR · Close peer36% grad $32,444 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
- Northshore Technical Community CollegeLacombe, LA · Close peer38% grad $29,734 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Louisiana Delta Community CollegeMonroe, LA · Close peer29% grad $30,438 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.62, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 1% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note