Head-to-head comparison
Black Hawk College vs Richland 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 Decatur, IL
Richland Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,741
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,793
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Richland Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,793 against a $14,964 total, vs $37,253 at Black Hawk College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Black Hawk College | Richland Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,944 | $3,741 |
| Total net cost | $27,776 | $14,964 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,253 | $38,793 |
| Median debt | $8,375 | $8,256 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$249,916 | -$206,304 |
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 Richland Community College?
Richland Community College, at $3,741 a year after aid versus $6,944 — a gap of $3,203 a year, or $12,812 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 Richland Community College graduates earn more?
Richland Community College graduates report a median $38,793 ten years after entry, $1,540 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 Richland Community College?
Richland Community College: its completers carry a median $8,256 in federal loans versus $8,375 at Black Hawk College, a difference of $119. 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?
60% of students finish at Richland 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.