Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest, IL 60305-1499
About Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago is a private research university in River Forest, Illinois, enrolling about 1,323 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 92.79% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $56,714 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Concordia University-Chicago charges 28% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($38,798).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 2.8×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 46.72%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $56,714.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Concordia University-Chicago is about 56% below published tuition.
Published tuition is $38,798; average net price is $17,217 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Concordia University-Chicago is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 724% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Concordia University-Chicago awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 71 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia University-Chicago | $38,798 | $17,217 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $30,216 | — | 1,451 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,792 | $6,286 | 131 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,346 | $18,882 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 56% below published tuition at Concordia University-Chicago
Key findings
- Concordia University-Chicago's average net price ($17,217) is 56% below published tuition ($38,798).
- Concordia University-Chicago charges 28% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($38,798).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 2.8×.
Concordia University-Chicago tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $38,798
Finding Concordia University-Chicago charges 28% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $38,798. That is 28% above the national private non-profit median ($30,216). Versus the Illinois median ($13,792), sticker tuition is about 2.8×. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 3.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Concordia University-Chicago versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Concordia University-Chicago versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Concordia University-Chicago is $17,217.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $17,217 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $10,931 above the Illinois median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $1,665 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Concordia University-Chicago’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 56% lower after grants and scholarships.
Concordia University-Chicago: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Concordia University-Chicago—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
Completion, earnings, and net price together describe a campus where sticker price overstates typical undergraduate cost while outcomes remain at the high end of Scorecard distributions.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$38,798
Avg. net price
$17,217
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $15,658 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,665 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,488 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $17,920 |
| $110,001+ | $23,108 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $155,192. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Concordia University-Chicago is known for
Top program completions
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology303
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General254
- Curriculum and Instruction146
- Business Administration and Management, General77
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management63
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 8% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Concordia University-Chicago a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Concordia University-Chicago is a good school for those looking for strong completion and solid mid-career earnings—especially where average net price sits well below published tuition (about 56% lower in this extract).
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Concordia University-Chicago.
Campus
Location
River Forest, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60305-1499
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 9% below the median for Rural campuses ($18,882 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs
Size
Enrollment
1,323
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 1,592
- Graduate
- 3,402
- Full-time share
- 90%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$22,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 56.21%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Concordia University-Chicago.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Concordia University-Chicago was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Concordia University-Chicago in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $27,598 | $27,598 | $17,881 |
| 2014 | $28,718 | $28,718 | $17,937 |
| 2015 | $29,520 | $29,520 | $17,938 |
| 2016 | $30,630 | $30,630 | $19,540 |
| 2017 | $31,588 | $31,588 | $17,085 |
| 2018 | $32,078 | $32,078 | $16,403 |
| 2019 | $32,880 | $32,880 | $16,512 |
| 2020 | $33,636 | $33,636 | $17,051 |
| 2021 | $34,310 | $34,310 | $18,225 |
| 2022 | $34,964 | $34,964 | $18,256 |
| 2023 | $36,258 | $36,258 | $16,774 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Concordia University-Chicago reported total enrollment of about 1,323 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 48% male and 52% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (40.1%), Hispanic or Latino (37.9%), and Black or African American (13.2%). About 56.21% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 38.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
89.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Concordia University-Chicago in 2024 is 1,323 students.
Over a full year, about 1,592 undergraduates enroll. Graduate enrollment is about 3,402 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
60.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
37.61% 100% Completion Time
46.72% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 37.61% of students graduating from Concordia University-Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 56% male / 44% female
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General: 30% male / 70% female
- Curriculum and Instruction: 18% male / 82% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Concordia University-Chicago graduates earn a median of $56,714 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Concordia University-Chicago.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,714. Median federal loan debt: $22,000. Average net price used in cost models: $17,217.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Concordia University-Chicago graduates report median earnings of $56,714 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Concordia University-Chicago.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (71 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Concordia University-Chicago.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Concordia University-Chicago graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Concordia University-Chicago—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$28.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median near the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 0.90× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 0.51× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 0.46× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 0.64× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.7%
- Illinois median 18.9 pp above median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 11.7 pp above median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 11.8 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,759
- Illinois median 0.79× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 0.84× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 0.89× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,834
- Illinois median 0.77× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 0.76× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 0.80× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Concordia University-Chicago at a glance
Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago is a private non-profit institution in River Forest, IL, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Exercise Science and KinesiologyEducational Leadership and Administration, GeneralCurriculum and Instruction
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian40.1%Hispanic or Latino37.9%Black or African American13.2%
Schools near Concordia University-Chicago
Other campuses in River Forest, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Concordia University-Chicago located?
Concordia University-Chicago is located in River Forest, IL.
What is Concordia University-Chicago's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Concordia University-Chicago is 92.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 4,607 applicants and 4,301 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Concordia University-Chicago's tuition?
Concordia University-Chicago tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $38,798 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $17,217 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Concordia University-Chicago cost?
Reported tuition is $38,798 and average net price is $17,217 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,872 annually.
Why is Concordia University-Chicago's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Concordia University-Chicago, published tuition is $38,798 while average net price is $17,217—about 56% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Concordia University-Chicago's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($17,217), completion (46.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($56,714). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Concordia University-Chicago?
Concordia University-Chicago reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,592 students, White (40.1%), Hispanic or Latino (37.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Concordia University-Chicago?
About 38.5% of students at Concordia University-Chicago are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Concordia University-Chicago earn?
Median earnings are $48,090 six years after entry and $56,714 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Concordia University-Chicago?
The 150%-time completion rate is 46.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Concordia University-Chicago students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $22,000.
Is Concordia University-Chicago public or private?
Concordia University-Chicago is a private nonprofit institution located in River Forest, IL.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.