College ROI

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City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College

Chicago, IL 6,409 Undergrads 27.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,803
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,258
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,410
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,258
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,410
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+42%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$39,839
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate27.9%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age25.2
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients60.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time38.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$635k
+$231k
+$149k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$630k
+$225k
+$143k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$623k
+$218k
+$136k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
21
∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
22
2467%
Full Cost$14k/yr
23
1064%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return2148%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return436%
Warning: Read this ROI with care. Most awards here are certificates, so the model prices a one-year program. The earnings figure covers every graduate, including those who finished longer associate programs that pay more. That mix can make the NPV, Social ROI and Pell ROI look much higher than a typical certificate student will see.

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,102
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,062
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,325
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,363
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,326
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,878
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,500
Natl Median: $50,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,686
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$377k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$26,123
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
$4,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,108
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$89,178
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$399k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.