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
- #19 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Illinois
- #20 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois
- #20 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois
- #23 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois
- #23 Best Online Education Programs in Illinois
- #29 Best Online Business Programs in Illinois
- #33 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois
- #33 Best Computer Science 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.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at College of DuPage — 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 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. 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.
- Health Professions 27%
- Humanities 21%
- Computer Science & IT 11%
- Business & Marketing 9%
- Criminal Justice 3%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 3%
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
- Education 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
- Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer32% grad $42,214 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
- Fullerton CollegeFullerton, CA · Close peer34% grad $43,366 earnWhy: similar earnings · 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