Biological and Physical Sciences at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College

The small sample size here requires caution, but Kennedy-King's biological and physical sciences program shows earnings that lag significantly behind alternatives—even within the City Colleges system. At $21,207 one year out, graduates earn roughly $5,300 less than the Illinois median for this degree and fall in just the 25th percentile statewide. More concerning, three other City Colleges campuses—Daley, Malcolm X, and even Wright—report substantially higher earnings for similar programs, with Daley graduates earning over $11,000 more annually.

The debt load itself is reasonable at $9,500, creating a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio. However, that calculus matters less when the baseline earnings are this low—barely above poverty level for a full-time worker. The real cost here isn't excessive borrowing but lost earning potential compared to nearby alternatives that likely have similar admission standards and tuition structures.

If your child is set on this field and considering City Colleges, the data strongly suggests exploring other campuses first. College of Lake County leads Illinois programs at nearly $38,000, but even staying within the City Colleges network, Daley or Malcolm X appear to offer significantly better outcomes. Unless Kennedy-King provides unique geographic convenience or support services worth that earnings gap, this particular program looks like a weak choice among readily available alternatives.