Computer and Information Sciences at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College

Comparable Computer Science associate programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $36,000 against estimated debt of $12,500—numbers that pencil out reasonably well for a two-year degree. That 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, though parents should recognize these figures come from peer institutions across the country, not Harold Washington's specific graduates.

The state picture complicates the story somewhat. Illinois programs in this field typically produce lower earnings ($31,000 median) while carrying higher debt loads ($17,300). If Harold Washington's outcomes track closer to Illinois norms than national ones, the value proposition weakens considerably. The school serves a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (35%), which matters for families counting every dollar.

The fundamental challenge is that with suppressed data, you're essentially betting on whether this community college performs more like the national median or the state median. The estimated debt advantage—$5,000 less than typical Illinois programs—provides some cushion if earnings land on the lower end. But anyone paying $12,500 for an associate degree should have a clear path to either immediate employment or affordable transfer into a bachelor's program that justifies the investment. Without actual graduate outcomes, that's harder to verify.