Head-to-head comparison
Highland Community College vs Blackburn College: which has better ROI?
Option A Freeport, IL
Highland Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,713
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,928
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Carlinville, IL
Blackburn College
- Net price / year
- $18,460
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,802
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Blackburn College comes closer — median earnings $46,802 against a $73,840 total, vs $37,928 at Highland Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Highland Community College | Blackburn College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,713 | $18,460 |
| Total net cost | $22,852 | $73,840 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,928 | $46,802 |
| Median debt | $8,029 | $24,242 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$231,492 | -$105,000 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Highland Community College or Blackburn College?
Highland Community College, at $5,713 a year after aid versus $18,460 — a gap of $12,747 a year, or $50,988 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 Highland Community College or Blackburn College graduates earn more?
Blackburn College graduates report a median $46,802 ten years after entry, $8,874 more than the $37,928 at Highland Community 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, Highland Community College or Blackburn College?
Highland Community College: its completers carry a median $8,029 in federal loans versus $24,242 at Blackburn College, a difference of $16,213. 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?
57% of students finish at Blackburn College, against 45% at Highland Community 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.