Head-to-head comparison
Black Hawk College vs Illinois Valley Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Moline, IL
Black Hawk College
- Net price / year
- $6,944
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,253
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Oglesby, IL
Illinois Valley Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,232
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,810
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Illinois Valley Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,810 against a $8,928 total, vs $37,253 at Black Hawk College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Black Hawk College | Illinois Valley Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,944 | $2,232 |
| Total net cost | $27,776 | $8,928 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,253 | $40,810 |
| Median debt | $8,375 | $8,233 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$249,916 | -$159,928 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Black Hawk College or Illinois Valley Community College?
Illinois Valley Community College, at $2,232 a year after aid versus $6,944 — a gap of $4,712 a year, or $18,848 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Black Hawk College or Illinois Valley Community College graduates earn more?
Illinois Valley Community College graduates report a median $40,810 ten years after entry, $3,557 more than the $37,253 at Black Hawk College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Black Hawk College or Illinois Valley Community College?
Illinois Valley Community College: its completers carry a median $8,233 in federal loans versus $8,375 at Black Hawk College, a difference of $142. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
42% of students finish at Illinois Valley Community College, against 40% at Black Hawk College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.