Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
14% gap between the two groups
28% gap between the two groups
12% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $9,073 |
| $30k–$48k | $9,550 |
| $48k–$75k | $11,334 |
| $75k–$110k | $13,899 |
| $110k+ | $28,427 |
How Chicago State University compares
This college against the Illinois and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Chicago State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Chicago State University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $94,672 | $34,060 | +1,240% | Strong return |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Doctoral | $144,745 | $191,403 | +738% | Strong return |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Associate's | $60,704 | — | +537% | Strong return |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Certificate | $76,620 | $61,462 | +341% | Strong return |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Certificate | $57,127 | — | +146% | Strong return |
| Social Work | Certificate | $62,437 | $66,359 | +137% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $52,095 | $30,497 | +98% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $51,596 | $25,708 | +94% | Strong return |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's | $49,094 | $28,250 | +17% | Break-even |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Associate's | $46,840 | $37,500 | -52% | Poor return |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | $46,102 | $37,279 | -71% | Poor return |
| Sociology | Associate's | $44,616 | $31,250 | -111% | Poor return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $42,103 | $30,886 | -181% | Poor return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Chicago State University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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