River Forest, Illinois Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in River Forest, Illinois: median public in-state tuition $38,233 (+593.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $57,208 (+5.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $23,706 (+78.6% vs U.S.) 3,884 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 3,884 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $38,233 (+593.6% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,208 (+5.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 92.5% (+4.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $15,090 (+51.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $23,706 (+78.6% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,211
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 45.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 69.2%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in River Forest serve students across Illinois with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 3,884 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $38,233. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against River Forest, Illinois and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Forest, Illinois | $38,233 | $15,090 | $23,706 | 45.9% | 3,884 |
| Illinois (state median) | $4,788 | $7,399 | $10,670 | 56.0% | 467,073 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Forest, Illinois | $57,208 | 92.5% | 69.2% | 3.2% | — | 71.9% | 0.41 |
| Illinois (state median) | $57,988 | 92.5% | 75.0% | 4.2% | — | 74.5% | 0.40 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Forest, Illinois | $38,233 | $15,090 | $23,706 | 45.9% | 3,884 | $57,208 | 92.5% |
| Chicago | $15,000 | $17,805 | $13,598 | 59.7% | 113,950 | $52,234 | 89.0% |
| Champaign | $10,144 | $11,202 | $14,024 | 85.1% | 39,606 | $81,054 | 93.2% |
| Lisle | $26,674 | $27,060 | $22,500 | 43.5% | 30,923 | $63,446 | 91.5% |
| Normal | $10,847 | $19,398 | $7,826 | 64.5% | 22,225 | $62,117 | 95.4% |
| Dekalb | $13,248 | $12,762 | $15,040 | 48.7% | 11,400 | $57,808 | 92.7% |
| Joliet | $21,320 | $13,140 | $9,711 | 66.8% | 10,609 | $63,926 | 94.1% |
| Evanston | $68,322 | $29,167 | $15,000 | 95.1% | 9,201 | $89,363 | 85.7% |
| Springfield | $12,075 | $16,000 | $10,256 | 53.2% | 8,016 | $57,103 | 92.0% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 55.3%, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 36.5%, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.8%, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.3%, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 most selective colleges in River Forest, Illinois (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 90.3%, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 92.8%, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,530, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $65,314, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $86,730, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $73,256, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,907, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,405, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $57,407, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,718, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,327, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $54,089, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $218,440, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $148,997, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 most affordable colleges in River Forest, Illinois (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $11,745, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $18,436, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
Top 2 colleges in River Forest, Illinois by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 77.9%, Dominican University
Dominican University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 60.5%, Concordia University-Chicago
Concordia University-Chicago
In-state tuition: River Forest, Illinois vs benchmarks
Sticker price
River Forest, Illinois median in-state tuition is $38,233, +593.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: River Forest, Illinois vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in River Forest, Illinois is $23,706 (+78.6% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,211.
Median earnings (10 years out): River Forest, Illinois vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in River Forest, Illinois center around $57,208 (+5.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: River Forest, Illinois vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 92.5% at the median River Forest, Illinois campus (+4.5 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
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
River Forest, Illinois median public in-state tuition is $38,233, about +593.6% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +579.7%.
Median graduate debt is $23,706 (+78.6% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in River Forest, Illinois are $57,208, about +5.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 92.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+4.5 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 69.2% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 71.9% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Dominican University (92.8%), Concordia University-Chicago (92.3%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in River Forest, Illinois is 45.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in River Forest?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in River Forest, Illinois with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in River Forest?
Median in-state tuition in River Forest is $38,233 and median net price is $15,090. For Illinois overall, medians are $4,788 and $7,399; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in River Forest?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in River Forest is $57,208 vs $57,988 for Illinois and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for River Forest colleges?
Median completer debt in River Forest is $23,706 vs $10,670 for Illinois and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in River Forest?
Top campuses on this page include Dominican University (graduation) and Dominican University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in River Forest?
Among 2 campuses in River Forest, Illinois, 2 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Concordia University-Chicago and Dominican University; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (1), Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Illinois college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON