Biological and Physical Sciences at McHenry County College

McHenry County College's Biological and Physical Sciences associate degree shows stronger-than-average outcomes, but comes with a significant asterisk: the sample size here is quite small (under 30 graduates), making these numbers less reliable than programs with larger cohorts. That said, graduates start at $28,614—about 9% above the national median and 8% above what's typical in Illinois—and see solid earnings growth to $38,625 by year four. At $7,500 in debt, students borrow less than both state and national averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 that's very manageable.

The real context, though, is that this program ranks in the middle tier among Illinois options. Top performers like College of Lake County produce graduates earning $37,724 in their first year—32% more than McHenry's grads. While McHenry's four-year earnings eventually approach that level, starting behind matters when you're building financial momentum early in your career.

For a student planning to transfer to a four-year program (the typical path for an associate's in the sciences), these numbers suggest McHenry provides decent preparation without excessive debt. But given the small sample, one exceptional cohort could be skewing results upward. If your student is committed to staying in Illinois and this program serves as a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree, the low debt load is the strongest selling point here.