Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College vs Black Hawk College: which has better ROI?
Option A Chicago, IL
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College
- Net price / year
- $7,220
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,427
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Moline, IL
Black Hawk College
- Net price / year
- $6,944
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,253
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Black Hawk College comes closer — median earnings $37,253 against a $27,776 total, vs $32,427 at City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Black Hawk College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,220 | $6,944 |
| Total net cost | $28,880 | $27,776 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,427 | $37,253 |
| Median debt | $8,375 | $8,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$347,540 | -$249,916 |
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-Malcolm X College or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College, at $6,944 a year after aid versus $7,220 — a gap of $276 a year, or $1,104 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-Malcolm X College or Black Hawk College graduates earn more?
Black Hawk College graduates report a median $37,253 ten years after entry, $4,826 more than the $32,427 at City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X 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-Malcolm X College or Black Hawk College?
Completers at both borrow a median $8,375, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Black Hawk College, against 18% at City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X 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.