College of DuPage
- Graduation Rate
- 25% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $46,909 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,401 A-
- 57% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 16,114
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 39.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $39.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $39.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,152,278.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 25% — 57% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $39.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why College of DuPage Matters
College of DuPage is a public community college in Glen Ellyn, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
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
- 16,114
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing
Why students choose College of DuPage
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 $7,401 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 $46,909 ten years after enrolling — 15% above the typical college, against $10,410 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.51 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
The College of DuPage serves over 16,000 students, making it one of the largest community colleges in Illinois. With a net price of just $7,401, it stands out for its affordability, allowing students to pursue their education without overwhelming financial burdens.
Data from Opportunity Insights reveals that while the graduation rate is 25%, the earnings for graduates ten years after enrollment average $46,909. This suggests that even for students who may not complete their degree, those who do have the potential to achieve a solid earning trajectory, particularly in fields like Health Professions and Computer Science.
Students who thrive at College of DuPage often seek a balance between academic and practical experiences. The median debt at graduation is $10,410, which is manageable for many, especially considering that 20% of students receive Pell Grants. This community college is ideal for those looking to gain skills for immediate employment or to transfer to four-year institutions with minimal debt.
Rankings
- #17 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois
- #18 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois
- #21 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois
- #27 Best Online Business Programs in Illinois
- #30 Best Computer Science Colleges in Illinois
- #30 Best Data Science Colleges in Illinois
- #33 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois
- #33 Best Nursing Colleges in Illinois
Can I Get In?
How selective College of DuPage 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 College of DuPage? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, College of DuPage enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
- Retention Rate
- 66%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 17%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,397
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 20:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.72
- First-Gen Students
- 43%
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 College of DuPage? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of DuPage is $12,750, 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 $7,401. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,032 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,410 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,560
- Out-of-State
- $12,750
- Avg Net Price
- $7,401
- Median Debt
- $10,410
- Pell Grant Rate
- 20%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 10%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,032
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,390
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,431
- Family Income $110K+
- $15,308
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is College of DuPage Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of DuPage earn a median of $46,909, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $38,925
- 8 Years
- $42,081
- 10 Years
- $46,909
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 58%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (163)
- 8%
- 100% (163)
- 8%
- 100% (163)
- 8%
- 100% (163)
- 8%
How College 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 College of DuPage Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, College of DuPage delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,401/year ($29,604 total). Graduates earn $46,909 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,181,882 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,152,278 (39.9× your investment). The median debt is $10,410, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 25% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $29,604
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,181,882
- Net Return
- $1,152,278
- ROI Multiple
- 39.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,401
- Median Debt
- $10,410
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 25%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-6,683,304
Top Programs
The fields College of DuPage 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.
- Health Professions 30%
- Humanities 21%
- Computer Science & IT 11%
- Business & Marketing 10%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 4%
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
- Criminal Justice 2%
- Culinary & Personal Services 2%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for College of DuPage'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 College of DuPage? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, College of DuPage enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of DuPage? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of DuPage is $12,750, 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 $7,401. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,032 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,410 in federal student loans.
Is College of DuPage Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of DuPage earn a median of $46,909, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is College of DuPage? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at College of DuPage. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), 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 College of DuPage.
- Sierra CollegeRocklin, CA · Close peer40% grad $45,294 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, UT · Close peer29% grad $47,867 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Montgomery CollegeRockville, MD · Close peer30% grad $50,159 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Nassau Community CollegeGarden City, NY · Close peer23% grad $48,248 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Fullerton CollegeFullerton, CA · Close peer34% grad $43,366 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer32% grad $42,214 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is College of DuPage? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at College of DuPage. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), 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