Head-to-head comparison
College of Lake County vs Black Hawk College: which has better ROI?
Option A Grayslake, IL
College of Lake County
- Net price / year
- $7,607
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,424
- 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 College of Lake County comes closer — median earnings $43,424 against a $30,428 total, vs $37,253 at Black Hawk College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College of Lake County | Black Hawk College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,607 | $6,944 |
| Total net cost | $30,428 | $27,776 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,424 | $37,253 |
| Median debt | $8,735 | $8,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$129,148 | -$249,916 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, College of Lake County or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College, at $6,944 a year after aid versus $7,607 — a gap of $663 a year, or $2,652 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 College of Lake County or Black Hawk College graduates earn more?
College of Lake County graduates report a median $43,424 ten years after entry, $6,171 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, College of Lake County or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College: its completers carry a median $8,375 in federal loans versus $8,735 at College of Lake County, a difference of $360. 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 37% at College of Lake County. 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.