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City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College

Public Chicago, IL · Urban · Great Lakes · 87% data
B+ Affordability B- Value C- Diversity
Graduation Rate
21% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$31,114 D
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$9,038 B+
47% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,661
Earnings -24% vs avg
Graduation -64% vs avg
Net Price +-47% vs avg

Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 25.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $25.3 over 20 years.

25.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $25.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $879,891.

What The Data Says

  1. A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduate earnings fall 24% below the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 21% — 64% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $25.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College

City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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 College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,661
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Transportation, Humanities, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing

Why students choose City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College

Strength in Transportation
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C-
Top 57% overall
D
Earnings
$31,114 median
B-
Value
3.4× net price
B+
Affordability
$9,038/yr net
F
Graduation
21% graduate
C-
Diversity
0.49 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Students at City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College can expect to pay a net price of $9,038, making it an affordable option for many. With a focus on practical programs like Transportation, Criminal Justice, and Business, students can gain skills that lead to steady employment.

Ten years after graduation, alumni earn a median income of $31,114. The graduation rate stands at 21%, indicating that many students face challenges in completing their degrees. The Chetty data on economic mobility is not available, but the college serves a diverse student body, including a notable 33% who receive Pell Grants.

Students who thrive here often seek a career-focused education without the burden of excessive debt. With a median debt of $7,646, graduates can enter the workforce with manageable financial obligations. The college's supportive environment is ideal for those looking to improve their economic standing through practical vocational training.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Chicago, Illinois, City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 21%.

Retention Rate
44%
Full-Time Faculty
31%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,930
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.49
First-Gen Students
47%

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-Olive-Harvey College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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 $9,038. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,527 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,646 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$4,590
Out-of-State
$15,150
Avg Net Price
$9,038
Median Debt
$7,646
Pell Grant Rate
33%
Federal Loan Rate
3%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,527
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,373
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,607
Family Income $110K+
$10,119

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College report median earnings of $31,114, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$23,378
8 Years
$26,133
10 Years
$31,114
Debt-to-Earnings
0.25x
Earning > $25K
33%

Earnings Trajectory

$23,378 6yr $26,133 8yr $31,114 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (17)
10%
100% (17)
10%
100% (17)
10%
100% (17)
10%

How City Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation21%Earnings 10yr$31KNet Price$9KRetention44%Median Debt$8KPell Grant Rate33%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$10K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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-Olive-Harvey College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,038/year ($36,152 total). Graduates earn $31,114 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $916,043 in total earnings — a net gain of $879,891 (25.3× your investment). The median debt is $7,646, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 21% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$36,152
Projected 20yr Earnings
$916,043
Net Return
$879,891
ROI Multiple
25.3×
Cost Per Year
$9,038
Median Debt
$7,646
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
21%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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-Olive-Harvey College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.64, 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 2% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.64
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
1.7%
Support Ratio
0.82
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Chicago, Illinois, City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 21%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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 $9,038. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,527 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,646 in federal student loans.

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College report median earnings of $31,114, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey 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-Olive-Harvey College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.64, 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 2% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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