Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College vs Kishwaukee College: which has better ROI?
Option A Chicago, IL
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
- Net price / year
- $7,397
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,531
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Malta, IL
Kishwaukee College
- Net price / year
- $4,574
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,657
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Kishwaukee College comes closer — median earnings $39,657 against a $9,148 total, vs $36,531 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | Kishwaukee College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,397 | $4,574 |
| Total net cost | $14,794 | $9,148 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,531 | $39,657 |
| Median debt | $5,750 | $9,395 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$251,374 | -$183,208 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College or Kishwaukee College?
Kishwaukee College, at $4,574 a year after aid versus $7,397 — a gap of $2,823 a year, or $5,646 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 City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College or Kishwaukee College graduates earn more?
Kishwaukee College graduates report a median $39,657 ten years after entry, $3,126 more than the $36,531 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington 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, City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College or Kishwaukee College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College: its completers carry a median $5,750 in federal loans versus $9,395 at Kishwaukee College, a difference of $3,645. 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?
45% of students finish at Kishwaukee College, against 26% at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington 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.