Head-to-head comparison
William Rainey Harper College vs Blackburn College: which has better ROI?
Option A Palatine, IL
William Rainey Harper College
- Net price / year
- $11,607
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,071
- 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 William Rainey Harper College comes closer — median earnings $48,071 against a $46,428 total, vs $46,802 at Blackburn College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | William Rainey Harper College | Blackburn College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,607 | $18,460 |
| Total net cost | $46,428 | $73,840 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,071 | $46,802 |
| Median debt | $10,184 | $24,242 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$52,208 | -$105,000 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, William Rainey Harper College or Blackburn College?
William Rainey Harper College, at $11,607 a year after aid versus $18,460 — a gap of $6,853 a year, or $27,412 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 William Rainey Harper College or Blackburn College graduates earn more?
William Rainey Harper College graduates report a median $48,071 ten years after entry, $1,269 more than the $46,802 at Blackburn 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, William Rainey Harper College or Blackburn College?
William Rainey Harper College: its completers carry a median $10,184 in federal loans versus $24,242 at Blackburn College, a difference of $14,058. 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 48% at William Rainey Harper 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.