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City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College

Public Chicago, IL · Urban · Great Lakes · 87% data
B+ Affordability B+ Value C- Earnings
Graduation Rate
27% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$37,962 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$7,886 B+
54% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,789
Earnings -7% vs avg
Graduation -52% vs avg
Net Price +-54% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.3 over 20 years.

30.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $30.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $924,554.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 27% — 52% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $30.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College

City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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
2,789
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Construction Trades, Humanities, Precision Production, Health Professions

Why students choose City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Construction Trades
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 48% overall
C-
Earnings
$37,962 median
B+
Value
4.8× net price
B+
Affordability
$7,886/yr net
F
Graduation
27% graduate
D+
Diversity
0.46 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

The graduation rate at City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College stands at just 27%. This figure highlights the challenges many students face in completing their degrees. However, for those who do graduate, the potential for earning offers a silver lining.

Ten years after enrolling, graduates earn a median salary of $37,962. While the data on economic mobility and success rates for students from low-income backgrounds is not available, the earnings and low median debt of $4,500 suggest that there is room for advancement for some graduates. The school's Pell Grant rate of 19% indicates that a portion of the student body relies on federal aid to support their education.

With a net price of $7,886, City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College presents an affordable option for students seeking education in fields like construction trades, humanities, computer science, and health professions. The college serves a diverse body of students, many of whom thrive in practical, hands-on programs that align with the job market's needs.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College, located in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.

Retention Rate
63%
Full-Time Faculty
25%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,289
Student–Faculty Ratio
27:1
Diversity Index
0.46
First-Gen Students
61%

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-Richard J Daley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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 $7,886. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,925 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$4,590
Out-of-State
$15,150
Avg Net Price
$7,886
Median Debt
$4,500
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
0%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,925
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,224
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,110

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College report median earnings of $37,962, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$31,509
8 Years
$34,520
10 Years
$37,962
Debt-to-Earnings
0.12x
Earning > $25K
45%

Earnings Trajectory

$31,509 6yr $34,520 8yr $37,962 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (123)
25%
100% (123)
25%
100% (123)
25%
100% (123)
25%

How City Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation27%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$8KRetention63%Median Debt$5KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$10K$48-75K

College ROI Calculator

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,886/year ($31,544 total). Graduates earn $37,962 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $956,098 in total earnings — a net gain of $924,554 (30.3× your investment). The median debt is $4,500, 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)
$31,544
Projected 20yr Earnings
$956,098
Net Return
$924,554
ROI Multiple
30.3×
Cost Per Year
$7,886
Median Debt
$4,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
27%

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-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, 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 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.77
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
2.5%
Support Ratio
0.80
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-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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 $7,886. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,925 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,500 in federal student loans.

Is City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College report median earnings of $37,962, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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-Richard J Daley College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, 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 3% 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

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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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