Head-to-head comparison
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College vs Carl Sandburg 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 Galesburg, IL
Carl Sandburg College
- Net price / year
- $3,662
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,274
- 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 $35,274 at Carl Sandburg College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | Carl Sandburg College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,886 | $3,662 |
| Total net cost | $31,544 | $7,324 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,962 | $35,274 |
| Median debt | $4,500 | $4,909 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$239,504 | -$269,044 |
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 Carl Sandburg College?
Carl Sandburg College, at $3,662 a year after aid versus $7,886 — a gap of $4,224 a year, or $24,220 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 Carl Sandburg College graduates earn more?
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College graduates report a median $37,962 ten years after entry, $2,688 more than the $35,274 at Carl Sandburg 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 Carl Sandburg College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College: its completers carry a median $4,500 in federal loans versus $4,909 at Carl Sandburg College, a difference of $409. 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?
50% of students finish at Carl Sandburg 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.