Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Illinois
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Illinois
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Illinois Addison, IL | For-profit | $1,063,189 | $104,908 | $31,837 | $20,919 | +344% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Private | $1,060,946 | $104,154 | $29,167 | $15,000 | +384% | Strong return | |
| 3 | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Chicago, IL | Public | $954,048 | $93,573 | $7,886 | $4,500 | +2,690% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL | Private | $946,290 | $96,455 | $18,425 | $25,000 | +521% | Strong return | |
| 5 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $935,894 | $95,040 | $14,860 | $15,000 | +671% | Strong return | |
| 6 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | Public | $537,997 | $74,399 | $10,974 | $16,704 | +488% | Strong return | |
| 7 | University of St Francis Joliet, IL | Private | $528,295 | $74,400 | $13,006 | $21,079 | +392% | Strong return | |
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Public | $505,994 | $73,526 | $14,355 | $19,500 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL | Public | $441,797 | $67,434 | $1,672 | $9,711 | +3,159% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Concordia University-Chicago River Forest, IL | Private | $431,315 | $70,672 | $18,436 | $23,000 | +213% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL | Private | $429,285 | $72,596 | $28,199 | $27,000 | +125% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Benedictine University Lisle, IL | Private | $395,609 | $69,653 | $22,313 | $22,500 | +153% | Strong return | |
| 13 | MDT College of Health Sciences Chicago, IL | For-profit | $356,721 | $64,733 | $30,833 | $19,500 | +420% | Strong return | |
| 14 | DePaul University Chicago, IL | Private | $342,729 | $68,739 | $30,902 | $23,168 | +80% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Oakton College Des Plaines, IL | Public | $328,341 | $62,031 | $5,183 | $5,250 | +1,287% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL | Private | $325,782 | $63,888 | $10,970 | $22,223 | +263% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $322,201 | $68,766 | $36,079 | $24,157 | +55% | Break-even | |
| 18 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL | Private | $319,193 | $64,757 | $17,028 | $21,500 | +160% | Strong return | |
| 19 | DeVry University-Illinois Lisle, IL | For-profit | $318,060 | $67,509 | $30,770 | $24,807 | +70% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL | Public | $317,640 | $63,964 | $13,391 | $22,162 | +208% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Aurora University Aurora, IL | Private | $316,664 | $64,971 | $18,838 | $20,318 | +141% | Strong return | |
| 22 | North Central College Naperville, IL | Private | $307,996 | $65,055 | $21,044 | $24,500 | +115% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Dominican University River Forest, IL | Private | $291,064 | $62,347 | $11,745 | $24,411 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 24 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL | Public | $289,438 | $61,787 | $9,833 | $19,128 | +263% | Strong return | |
| 25 | National Louis University Chicago, IL | Private | $286,819 | $62,229 | $12,641 | $19,750 | +198% | Strong return | |
| 26 | Judson University Elgin, IL | Private | $285,738 | $63,454 | $18,558 | $25,000 | +121% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | Public | $261,564 | $62,331 | $19,398 | $20,482 | +104% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL | Public | $257,840 | $58,348 | $2,829 | $9,500 | +1,364% | Strong return | |
| 29 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | Public | $255,934 | $61,148 | $14,889 | $20,500 | +141% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL | Private | $253,054 | $62,863 | $24,185 | $20,489 | +71% | Strong return | |
| 31 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago, IL | Public | $242,821 | $57,897 | $6,375 | $6,500 | +753% | Strong return | |
| 32 | North Park University Chicago, IL | Private | $242,116 | $60,960 | $16,948 | $25,500 | +107% | Strong return | |
| 33 | Governors State University University Park, IL | Public | $220,539 | $58,832 | $12,329 | $18,618 | +147% | Strong return | |
| 34 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL | Public | $212,684 | $58,722 | $14,109 | $14,600 | +122% | Strong return | |
| 35 | Kankakee Community College Kankakee, IL | Public | $212,577 | $56,277 | $4,665 | $9,969 | +770% | Strong return | |
| 36 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL | Public | $211,195 | $56,906 | $11,607 | $10,184 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 37 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake, IL | Public | $202,895 | $55,963 | $7,042 | $6,260 | +570% | Strong return | |
| 38 | Bradley University Peoria, IL | Private | $201,905 | $60,131 | $22,719 | $27,000 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 39 | Augustana College Rock Island, IL | Private | $201,477 | $60,113 | $22,736 | $27,000 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 40 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | Public | $192,242 | $57,664 | $13,297 | $21,543 | +108% | Strong return | |
| 41 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais, IL | Private | $179,274 | $58,565 | $20,729 | $25,000 | +47% | Break-even | |
| 42 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL | Private | $172,007 | $58,040 | $20,194 | $22,000 | +47% | Break-even | |
| 43 | Elgin Community College Elgin, IL | Public | $147,995 | $53,137 | $6,026 | $7,390 | +452% | Strong return | |
| 44 | Rock Valley College Rockford, IL | Public | $146,659 | $53,012 | $5,242 | $8,500 | +490% | Strong return | |
| 45 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL | Public | $145,181 | $55,208 | $12,786 | $21,500 | +73% | Strong return | |
| 46 | McKendree University Lebanon, IL | Private | $141,660 | $57,450 | $24,717 | $23,250 | +16% | Break-even | |
| 47 | Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney, IL | Public | $135,027 | $52,879 | $10,092 | $6,500 | +249% | Strong return | |
| 48 | Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc Lisle, IL | For-profit | $129,938 | $54,442 | $27,060 | $13,124 | +60% | Break-even | |
| 49 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL | Private | $122,976 | $57,360 | $28,673 | $26,158 | -1% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Illinois Central College East Peoria, IL | Public | $122,555 | $52,586 | $12,961 | $8,900 | +160% | Strong return | |
| 51 | Quincy University Quincy, IL | Private | $121,778 | $55,598 | $20,359 | $24,000 | +18% | Break-even | |
| 52 | Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL | Private | $119,907 | $55,276 | $19,125 | $25,009 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 53 | Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL | For-profit | $114,096 | $53,071 | $19,854 | $20,899 | +71% | Strong return | |
| 54 | Danville Area Community College Danville, IL | Public | $105,296 | $50,874 | $4,777 | $7,218 | +382% | Strong return | |
| 55 | Wheaton College Wheaton, IL | Private | $91,968 | $55,417 | $26,975 | $23,250 | -11% | Poor return | |
| 56 | Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, IL | Public | $88,225 | $50,683 | $11,442 | $7,000 | +123% | Strong return | |
| 57 | Triton College River Grove, IL | Public | $85,654 | $49,868 | $4,138 | $9,413 | +316% | Strong return | |
| 58 | Parkland College Champaign, IL | Public | $84,169 | $50,169 | $8,048 | $8,548 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 59 | Chicago State University Chicago, IL | Public | $81,400 | $52,095 | $12,335 | $30,625 | +17% | Break-even | |
| 60 | Carl Sandburg College Galesburg, IL | Public | $81,367 | $49,524 | $3,662 | $4,909 | +396% | Strong return | |
| 61 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL | Public | $80,990 | $52,097 | $12,937 | $25,251 | +16% | Break-even | |
| 62 | Kaskaskia College Centralia, IL | Public | $79,899 | $49,711 | $6,477 | $3,750 | +229% | Strong return | |
| 63 | Illinois College Jacksonville, IL | Private | $76,892 | $52,970 | $18,298 | $25,565 | -3% | Poor return | |
| 64 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago, IL | Public | $73,404 | $49,584 | $7,863 | $6,997 | +151% | Strong return | |
| 65 | John A Logan College Carterville, IL | Public | $65,398 | $48,824 | $5,541 | — | +245% | Strong return | |
| 66 | Heartland Community College Normal, IL | Public | $48,502 | $48,769 | $12,013 | $7,826 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 67 | College of Lake County Grayslake, IL | Public | $47,363 | $48,288 | $7,607 | $8,735 | +79% | Strong return | |
| 68 | Lincoln Land Community College Springfield, IL | Public | $29,830 | $47,122 | $4,299 | $11,011 | +68% | Strong return | |
| 69 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL | Public | $27,625 | $47,311 | $7,401 | $10,410 | +24% | Break-even | |
| 70 | Millikin University Decatur, IL | Private | $26,625 | $51,221 | $21,989 | $27,000 | -36% | Poor return | |
| 71 | Sauk Valley Community College Dixon, IL | Public | $21,228 | $47,061 | $8,493 | $8,250 | +3% | Break-even | |
| 72 | Richland Community College Decatur, IL | Public | $19,189 | $46,484 | $3,741 | $8,256 | +42% | Break-even | |
| 73 | Highland Community College Freeport, IL | Public | $18,408 | $46,638 | $5,713 | $8,029 | +14% | Break-even | |
| 74 | Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey, IL | Public | $15,722 | $46,244 | $3,349 | $6,751 | +36% | Break-even | |
| 75 | Rockford University Rockford, IL | Private | $9,599 | $50,373 | $22,436 | $22,274 | -45% | Poor return | |
| 76 | Kishwaukee College Malta, IL | Public | $8,708 | $46,064 | $4,574 | $9,395 | -15% | Poor return | |
| 77 | Black Hawk College Moline, IL | Public | $300 | $45,862 | $6,944 | $8,375 | -49% | Poor return | |
| 78 | Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby, IL | Public | $-1,744 | $45,286 | $2,232 | $8,233 | -62% | Poor return | |
| 79 | Knox College Galesburg, IL | Private | $-3,519 | $50,235 | $24,595 | $27,000 | -52% | Poor return | |
| 80 | Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park Melrose Park, IL | For-profit | $-22,516 | $46,639 | $25,598 | $11,250 | -70% | Poor return | |
| 81 | Eureka College Eureka, IL | Private | $-24,368 | $47,675 | $17,349 | $23,250 | -66% | Poor return | |
| 82 | Monmouth College Monmouth, IL | Private | $-36,711 | $47,083 | $17,133 | $27,000 | -73% | Poor return | |
| 83 | Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL | Public | $-38,111 | $44,263 | $10,427 | $6,908 | -132% | Poor return | |
| 84 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Chicago, IL | Public | $-39,289 | $43,880 | $7,397 | $5,750 | -166% | Poor return | |
| 85 | Prairie State College Chicago Heights, IL | Public | $-57,264 | $42,811 | $4,738 | $11,000 | -262% | Poor return | |
| 86 | Greenville University Greenville, IL | Private | $-68,772 | $45,903 | $19,533 | $23,875 | -90% | Poor return | |
| 87 | Morton College Cicero, IL | Public | $-79,037 | $41,713 | $5,191 | $8,000 | -347% | Poor return | |
| 88 | Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL | Private | $-94,198 | $45,065 | $22,221 | $18,149 | -99% | Poor return | |
| 89 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $-104,822 | $45,534 | $26,598 | $25,000 | -95% | Poor return | |
| 90 | John Wood Community College Quincy, IL | Public | $-115,046 | $40,099 | $7,050 | $8,029 | -388% | Poor return | |
| 91 | Lake Land College Mattoon, IL | Public | $-131,863 | $38,745 | $2,254 | $6,188 | -1,025% | Poor return | |
| 92 | Midwestern Career College Chicago, IL | For-profit | $-138,925 | $40,237 | $20,462 | $7,521 | -209% | Poor return | |
| 93 | South Suburban College South Holland, IL | Public | $-144,204 | $38,114 | $3,242 | — | -1,162% | Poor return | |
| 94 | Rend Lake College Ina, IL | Public | $-148,311 | $38,609 | $9,187 | $5,809 | -412% | Poor return | |
| 95 | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College Chicago, IL | Public | $-218,802 | $35,103 | $9,038 | $7,646 | -574% | Poor return | |
| 96 | School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $-250,199 | $42,940 | $49,790 | $27,000 | -110% | Poor return | |
| 97 | Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois Springfield, IL | For-profit | $-252,795 | $33,923 | $27,793 | $9,500 | -454% | Poor return | |
| 98 | Shawnee Community College Ullin, IL | Public | $-283,224 | $31,255 | $4,162 | — | -1,751% | Poor return | |
| 99 | Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College Rockford, IL | For-profit | $-357,974 | $29,522 | $21,601 | $14,302 | -420% | Poor return |
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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