Head-to-head comparison
Southwestern Illinois College vs City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College: which has better ROI?
Option A Belleville, IL
Southwestern Illinois College
- Net price / year
- $10,427
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,884
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Chicago, IL
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
- Net price / year
- $7,397
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,531
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College comes closer — median earnings $36,531 against a $14,794 total, vs $36,884 at Southwestern Illinois College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwestern Illinois College | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,427 | $7,397 |
| Total net cost | $41,708 | $14,794 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,884 | $36,531 |
| Median debt | $6,908 | $5,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$271,228 | -$251,374 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southwestern Illinois College or City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, at $7,397 a year after aid versus $10,427 — a gap of $3,030 a year, or $26,914 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 Southwestern Illinois College or City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College graduates earn more?
Southwestern Illinois College graduates report a median $36,884 ten years after entry, $353 more than the $36,531 at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington 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, Southwestern Illinois College or City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College: its completers carry a median $5,750 in federal loans versus $6,908 at Southwestern Illinois College, a difference of $1,158. 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?
36% of students finish at Southwestern Illinois College, against 26% at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington 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.