Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College vs Illinois Eastern Community Colleges: which has better ROI?
Option A Chicago, IL
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College
- Net price / year
- $7,863
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,484
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Olney, IL
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
- Net price / year
- $10,092
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,533
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Illinois Eastern Community Colleges comes closer — median earnings $37,533 against a $40,368 total, vs $36,484 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Illinois Eastern Community Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,863 | $10,092 |
| Total net cost | $31,452 | $40,368 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,484 | $37,533 |
| Median debt | $6,997 | $6,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$268,972 | -$256,908 |
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-Harry S Truman College or Illinois Eastern Community Colleges?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College, at $7,863 a year after aid versus $10,092 — a gap of $2,229 a year, or $8,916 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-Harry S Truman College or Illinois Eastern Community Colleges graduates earn more?
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges graduates report a median $37,533 ten years after entry, $1,049 more than the $36,484 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman 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-Harry S Truman College or Illinois Eastern Community Colleges?
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges: its completers carry a median $6,500 in federal loans versus $6,997 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College, a difference of $497. 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?
63% of students finish at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, against 32% at City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman 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.