Head-to-head comparison
Columbia College Chicago vs Black Hawk College: which has better ROI?
Option A Chicago, IL
Columbia College Chicago
- Net price / year
- $26,598
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,195
- 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 Columbia College Chicago comes closer — median earnings $42,195 against a $106,392 total, vs $37,253 at Black Hawk College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia College Chicago | Black Hawk College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,598 | $6,944 |
| Total net cost | $106,392 | $27,776 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,195 | $37,253 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $8,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$229,692 | -$249,916 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia College Chicago or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College, at $6,944 a year after aid versus $26,598 — a gap of $19,654 a year, or $78,616 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 Columbia College Chicago or Black Hawk College graduates earn more?
Columbia College Chicago graduates report a median $42,195 ten years after entry, $4,942 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, Columbia College Chicago or Black Hawk College?
Black Hawk College: its completers carry a median $8,375 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Columbia College Chicago, a difference of $16,625. 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?
52% of students finish at Columbia College Chicago, against 40% at Black Hawk 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.