Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College vs Prairie State 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 Chicago Heights, IL
Prairie State College
- Net price / year
- $4,738
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,696
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College comes closer — median earnings $36,531 against a $14,794 total, vs $36,696 at Prairie State College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | Prairie State College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,397 | $4,738 |
| Total net cost | $14,794 | $18,952 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,531 | $36,696 |
| Median debt | $5,750 | $11,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$251,374 | -$252,232 |
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 Prairie State College?
Prairie State College, at $4,738 a year after aid versus $7,397 — a gap of $2,659 a year, or $4,158 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 Prairie State College graduates earn more?
Prairie State College graduates report a median $36,696 ten years after entry, $165 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 Prairie State College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College: its completers carry a median $5,750 in federal loans versus $11,000 at Prairie State College, a difference of $5,250. 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?
26% of students finish at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, against 21% at Prairie State 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.