Head-to-head comparison
Triton College vs Carl Sandburg College: which has better ROI?
Option A River Grove, IL
Triton College
- Net price / year
- $4,138
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,728
- 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 Triton College comes closer — median earnings $41,728 against a $16,552 total, vs $35,274 at Carl Sandburg College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Triton College | Carl Sandburg College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,138 | $3,662 |
| Total net cost | $16,552 | $7,324 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,728 | $35,274 |
| Median debt | $9,413 | $4,909 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$149,192 | -$269,044 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Triton College or Carl Sandburg College?
Carl Sandburg College, at $3,662 a year after aid versus $4,138 — a gap of $476 a year, or $9,228 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 Triton College or Carl Sandburg College graduates earn more?
Triton College graduates report a median $41,728 ten years after entry, $6,454 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, Triton College or Carl Sandburg College?
Carl Sandburg College: its completers carry a median $4,909 in federal loans versus $9,413 at Triton College, a difference of $4,504. 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 29% at Triton 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.