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Public · 2-year

College of Lake County

Grayslake, Illinois

49
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Strong return
+$14,483 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 2 years.

Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.

5.6 yrs
Break-even
+79%
10-year ROI
$48,288
Median earnings as of 2024
59% of College of Lake County students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$7,607
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$48,288
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$50,402
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$8,735
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
Graduation rate as of 2024
59%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
67%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
Retention rate as of 2024

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.

$14,483
After 10 years
$47,363
After 20 years
$80,243
After 30 years
$113,123
After 40 years

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.

By gender
Women
$40,136
Men
$48,749

18% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$40,406
From higher-income families
$52,465

23% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$45,609
Independent students
$41,353

9% gap between the two groups

52%
First-generation students
2%
Take federal student loans
83%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 30%Hispanic 48%Asian 5%Black 7%Other 9%

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 incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$6,096
$30k–$48k$6,786
$48k–$75k$8,678
$75k–$110k
$110k+$11,025

How College of Lake County compares

This college against the Illinois and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of College of Lake County students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at College of Lake County

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.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$77,613$11,400+2,673%Strong return
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsCertificate$63,989+2,396%Strong return
Biological and Physical SciencesCertificate$53,615+1,033%Strong return
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCertificate$48,288$6,461+230%Strong return
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansCertificate$42,784-391%Poor return
Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesCertificate$40,698-666%Poor return
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesCertificate$36,994-1,153%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at College of Lake County

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

Admission rate
0
Average SAT
0
Median ACT
9,420
Undergraduates

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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