Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College vs Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW: 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, IL
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW
- Net price / year
- $21,856
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,554
- 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 $28,554 at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,397 | $21,856 |
| Total net cost | $14,794 | $87,424 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,531 | $28,554 |
| Median debt | $5,750 | $7,307 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$251,374 | -$483,544 |
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 Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, at $7,397 a year after aid versus $21,856 — a gap of $14,459 a year, or $72,630 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 Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW graduates earn more?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College graduates report a median $36,531 ten years after entry, $7,977 more than the $28,554 at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW. 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 Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College: its completers carry a median $5,750 in federal loans versus $7,307 at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW, a difference of $1,557. 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 0% at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW. 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.