Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Elgin Community College

Elgin, IL · 5 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$151,994 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

39.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−74%Modeled 10-year ROI
$50,211Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$151,994at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$204,1040
2
4
6
8
−$151,99410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 39.2 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$3,252
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$9,516
Sticker price
Average net price$6,026
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$10,408
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$6,026Average net price / year
$10,408Cost of attendance
$50,211Median earnings · year 5 after completion
41.1%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
6,648Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

62thEarnings percentile
26thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$42,791Year 1
$54,220Year 4
$50,211Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$75,9182Ground Transportation · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$67,9953Biological and Physical Sciences · Associate's Degree$67,3234Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$58,4905Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities · Associate's Degree$51,556

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in IL

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Danville, IL

Danville Area Community College

Annual net price
$4,777
Observed earnings · year 5
$50,974
Modeled 10-year ROI
-70%
Open college profile →
Kankakee, IL

Kankakee Community College

Annual net price
$4,665
Observed earnings · year 5
$49,490
Modeled 10-year ROI
-77%
Open college profile →
Chicago, IL

City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College

Annual net price
$6,375
Observed earnings · year 5
$48,058
Modeled 10-year ROI
-85%
Open college profile →
Crystal Lake, IL

McHenry County College

Annual net price
$7,042
Observed earnings · year 5
$48,703
Modeled 10-year ROI
-82%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$75,918$10,793
Ground TransportationUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$67,995$4,008
Biological and Physical SciencesAssociate's Degree$67,323Not available
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$58,490Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$51,556$8,380

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.