Crystal Lake, Illinois Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Crystal Lake, Illinois: median public in-state tuition $4,162 (-27.0% vs national median) median graduate debt $9,450 (-30.0% vs U.S.) 5,414 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Crystal Lake serve students across Illinois with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 3 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 5,414 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $4,162. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Crystal Lake, Illinois and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Crystal Lake vs Illinois & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake, Illinois | $4,162 | $16,204 | $9,450 | N/A | 5,414 |
| Illinois (state median) | $4,800 | $6,286 | $10,500 | 56.0% | 467,073 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Crystal Lake, Illinois vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake, Illinois | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| Illinois (state median) | $61,534 | 93.8% | 75.0% | 4.2% | — | 74.5% | 0.35 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in Illinois (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake, Illinois | $4,162 | $16,204 | $9,450 | N/A | 5,414 | N/A | N/A |
| Chicago | $16,157 | $18,353 | $13,063 | 53.7% | 113,950 | $56,800 | 91.5% |
| Champaign | $10,409 | $9,298 | $12,480 | 86.3% | 39,606 | $87,599 | 94.9% |
| Lisle | $26,821 | $27,156 | $17,038 | 41.4% | 30,923 | $67,314 | 93.6% |
| Normal | $10,881 | $15,472 | $8,750 | 67.3% | 22,225 | $67,557 | 96.1% |
| Dekalb | $13,792 | $13,936 | $12,816 | 48.5% | 11,400 | $61,351 | 94.1% |
| Joliet | $21,715 | $15,336 | $14,752 | 64.1% | 10,609 | $69,137 | 95.4% |
| Evanston | $70,589 | $34,420 | $17,017 | 96.1% | 9,201 | $104,255 | 93.3% |
| Springfield | $12,195 | $14,793 | $10,002 | 53.4% | 8,016 | $64,479 | 91.9% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
In-state tuition: Crystal Lake, Illinois vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Crystal Lake, Illinois median in-state tuition is $4,162, -27.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Crystal Lake, Illinois vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Crystal Lake, Illinois is $9,450 (-30.0% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $14,568.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Crystal Lake, Illinois median public in-state tuition is $4,162, about -27.0% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is -27.5%.
Median graduate debt is $9,450 (-30.0% below the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Crystal Lake?
This city profile covers 3 campuses in Crystal Lake, Illinois with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Crystal Lake?
Median in-state tuition in Crystal Lake is $4,162 and median net price is $16,204. For Illinois overall, medians are $4,800 and $6,286; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Crystal Lake?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Crystal Lake is N/A vs $61,534 for Illinois and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Crystal Lake colleges?
Median completer debt in Crystal Lake is $9,450 vs $10,500 for Illinois and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Crystal Lake?
Among 3 campuses in Crystal Lake, Illinois, 3 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Cosmetology & Spa Academy, First Institute of Travel Inc., and McHenry County College.
Sources & related
- Illinois college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON