Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College vs Black Hawk College: which has better ROI?
Option A Chicago, IL
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College
- Net price / year
- $7,886
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,962
- 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 City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College comes closer — median earnings $37,962 against a $31,544 total, vs $37,253 at Black Hawk College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | Black Hawk College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,886 | $6,944 |
| Total net cost | $31,544 | $27,776 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,962 | $37,253 |
| Median debt | $4,500 | $8,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$239,504 | -$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-Richard J Daley College or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College, at $6,944 a year after aid versus $7,886 — a gap of $942 a year, or $3,768 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-Richard J Daley College or Black Hawk College graduates earn more?
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College graduates report a median $37,962 ten years after entry, $709 more than the $37,253 at Black Hawk 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-Richard J Daley College or Black Hawk College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College: its completers carry a median $4,500 in federal loans versus $8,375 at Black Hawk College, a difference of $3,875. 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?
40% of students finish at Black Hawk College, against 27% at City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley 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.