Oak Forest, Illinois Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Oak Forest, Illinois: median graduate debt $9,833 (-27.2% vs U.S.) 195 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Oak Forest serve students across Illinois with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 195 students enrolled in federal data. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Oak Forest, Illinois and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Oak Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest, Illinois | N/A | $25,598 | $9,833 | N/A | 195 |
| 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: Oak Forest, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest, Illinois | N/A | $25,598 | $9,833 | N/A | 195 | 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% |
Student debt: Oak Forest, Illinois vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Oak Forest, Illinois is $9,833 (-27.2% 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
Median graduate debt is $9,833 (-27.2% 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 Oak Forest?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Oak Forest, Illinois with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Oak Forest?
Median in-state tuition in Oak Forest is N/A and median net price is $25,598. For Illinois overall, medians are $4,800 and $6,286; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Oak Forest?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Oak Forest is N/A vs $61,534 for Illinois and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Oak Forest colleges?
Median completer debt in Oak Forest is $9,833 vs $10,500 for Illinois and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Oak Forest?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Oak Forest, Illinois, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Illinois college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON