McHenry County College
Crystal Lake, IL 60012-2761
About McHenry County College
McHenry County College is a public certificate and vocational school in Crystal Lake, Illinois, serving roughly 4,691 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $7,042 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $4,162. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $45,143 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- McHenry County College charges 24% below the national public median tuition ($4,162).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 0.3×.
- Average net price runs below the Illinois median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 36.84%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,143.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at McHenry County College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1503% 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
McHenry County College awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry County College | $4,162 | $7,042 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,248 | $7,399 | 131 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
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.
How expensive is McHenry County College really?
Key findings
- McHenry County College charges 24% below the national public median tuition ($4,162).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 0.3×.
- Average net price runs below the Illinois median net price.
McHenry County College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $4,162
Finding McHenry County College charges 24% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $4,162. That is 24% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Illinois median ($13,248), sticker tuition is about 0.3×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.3×.
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 public 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 McHenry County College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at McHenry County College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at McHenry County College is $7,042.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $7,042 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $357 below the Illinois median net price.
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 At McHenry County College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
McHenry County College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for McHenry County College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$4,162
Out-of-state tuition
$14,399
Avg. net price
$7,042
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $5,609 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $6,383 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $7,761 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $10,497 |
| $110,001+ | $12,345 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $16,648. 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 McHenry County College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies902
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide227
- Biological and Physical Sciences155
- 05.108198
- Welding Technology/Welder46
See earnings & programs for more.
Is McHenry County College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
McHenry County College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
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 McHenry County College.
Campus
Location
Crystal Lake, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60012-2761
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
4,691
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 13,318
- Full-time share
- 45%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$6,260
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 11.27%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for McHenry County College.
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 McHenry County College 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 McHenry County College 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 | $3,074 | $11,420 | $7,890 |
| 2014 | $3,164 | $12,085 | $7,864 |
| 2015 | $3,314 | $13,497 | $7,111 |
| 2016 | $3,404 | $13,242 | $7,262 |
| 2017 | $3,404 | $14,003 | $7,201 |
| 2018 | $3,494 | $14,603 | $6,415 |
| 2019 | $3,584 | $14,383 | $7,048 |
| 2020 | $3,862 | $14,621 | $7,706 |
| 2021 | $3,862 | $14,449 | $7,319 |
| 2022 | $3,862 | $14,692 | $7,458 |
| 2023 | $4,012 | $14,885 | $8,093 |
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
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
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
McHenry County College reported total enrollment of about 4,691 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 46% male and 54% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (60.2%), Hispanic or Latino (27.2%), and Two or More Races (3.6%). About 11.27% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 48.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
44.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at McHenry County College in 2024 is 4,691 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 13,318 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
71.4%
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
19.21% 100% Completion Time
36.84% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 19.21% of students graduating from McHenry County College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 41% male / 59% female
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide: 15% male / 85% female
- Biological and Physical Sciences: 41% male / 59% 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.
McHenry County College graduates earn a median of $45,143 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of McHenry County College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,143. Median federal loan debt: $6,260. Average net price used in cost models: $7,042.
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 McHenry County College graduates report median earnings of $45,143 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 McHenry County College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (56 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at McHenry County College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for McHenry County College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for McHenry County College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$11.7M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median 0.41× the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 0.37× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 0.44× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 0.15× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 0.14× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 0.19× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 28.9%
- Illinois median 21.9 pp below median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 29.1 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 29.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $11,832
- Illinois median 1.4× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 1.5× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,909
- Illinois median 0.78× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 0.77× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 0.81× 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.
McHenry County College at a glance
McHenry County College
McHenry County College is a public institution in Crystal Lake, IL, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesNursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/AideBiological and Physical Sciences
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian60.2%Hispanic or Latino27.2%Two or More Races3.6%
Schools near McHenry County College
Other campuses in Crystal Lake, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is McHenry County College located?
McHenry County College is located in Crystal Lake, IL.
What is McHenry County College's tuition?
McHenry County College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $4,162 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $7,042 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does McHenry County College cost?
Reported tuition is $4,162 and average net price is $7,042 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,090 annually.
What explains McHenry County College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($7,042), completion (36.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,143). 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 McHenry County College?
McHenry County College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 13,318 students, White (60.2%), Hispanic or Latino (27.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend McHenry County College?
About 48.4% of students at McHenry County College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of McHenry County College earn?
Median earnings are $36,496 six years after entry and $45,143 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at McHenry County College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 36.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do McHenry County College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $6,260.
Is McHenry County College public or private?
McHenry County College is a public institution located in Crystal Lake, IL.
Is McHenry County College an HBCU?
No. McHenry County College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is McHenry County College a tribal college?
No. McHenry County College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
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.