Students at Concordia University-Chicago consistently earn more than similar students at comparable institutions, reflecting the university's effectiveness in career preparation and professional development.
This earnings advantage, combined with zero loan defaults, demonstrates that graduates achieve financial stability despite moderate absolute earnings levels.
Concordia University-Chicago is a small private nonprofit institution in River Forest, Illinois, serving about 4,500 students with a focus on personalized education and strong community connections. The university ranks in the middle tier nationally for overall value, reflecting a balance of moderate costs for a private institution and solid but not exceptional long-term earnings outcomes. Nearly 45% of students receive Pell Grants and about 39% are first-generation college students, demonstrating the university's commitment to serving diverse populations who might not otherwise access private higher education.
Graduates earn a median of $54,089 ten years after enrollment, which places the institution around the national average for earnings outcomes. What distinguishes Concordia is its ability to help students earn about $8,714 more than similar students at comparable institutions, suggesting the university adds meaningful value beyond what might be expected given its student profile and resources. The university falls into the "Under-Resourced Institutions" mobility category, indicating strong access for low-income students but more modest outcomes compared to better-funded peers.
As a small private college, Concordia offers the intimate learning environment and close faculty mentorship that many students seek, particularly those who thrive in smaller classroom settings and benefit from individualized attention throughout their academic journey.
Concordia University-Chicago's program portfolio reflects a practical focus on career preparation across education, business, and healthcare fields. Adult and Continuing Education leads in aggregate return, combining solid enrollment with graduates earning $37,856, while Business Administration and Management serves as the university's largest program with similar outcomes at $36,848. Clinical Research Coordinator represents the highest-earning pathway at $47,260, demonstrating the university's strength in healthcare-related fields that offer strong career prospects.
These programs illustrate Concordia's approach to education: preparing students for stable, meaningful careers rather than pursuing the highest-earning fields. The university's strength lies in developing practical skills and professional relationships that help graduates succeed in their chosen fields, often exceeding the earnings that might be expected from similar programs at comparable institutions. This pattern of solid, consistent outcomes across diverse fields reflects the university's commitment to career-focused education that serves students' long-term professional goals.
The relatively modest program scale, with top programs graduating 24-37 students each, enables personalized attention and strong faculty-student relationships that contribute to career success. This intimate learning environment helps explain why Concordia graduates consistently outperform earnings expectations, as students benefit from individualized career guidance and professional development that larger institutions often cannot provide.
Graduates of Concordia University-Chicago achieve solid long-term financial outcomes, with a median income of $54,089 ten years after enrollment. More importantly, these graduates earn approximately $8,714 more than similar students at comparable institutions, demonstrating that the university provides meaningful earnings beyond expectations. This earnings advantage suggests that Concordia's educational approach, faculty mentorship, and career preparation effectively translate into stronger financial outcomes than might be predicted based on the institution's resources and student demographics.
Program-level outcomes vary significantly across fields of study. Adult and Continuing Education represents the highest aggregate return program, combining solid enrollment with median earnings of $37,856. Business Administration and Management serves as the largest program with 37 graduates earning around $36,848, while Clinical Research Coordinator graduates achieve the highest individual earnings at $47,260. These programs reflect Concordia's focus on practical, career-oriented education that prepares students for stable employment in growing sectors like healthcare, business, and education.
The university's strength lies in helping students from diverse backgrounds achieve financial stability and career advancement. While absolute earnings levels are moderate compared to large research universities, the consistent earnings advantage over expectations indicates that Concordia effectively develops students' professional skills and connects them with meaningful career opportunities that provide long-term financial security.
Affordability at Concordia University-Chicago reflects typical private college pricing, though the university works to make education accessible across income levels. Low-income students pay approximately $13,573 annually after aid, which is reasonable for a private institution, while middle-income families face costs around $17,318 per year. High-income families pay about $23,731, representing the full private college experience but still below many comparable private institutions nationwide.
Debt levels require careful family planning but remain within manageable ranges for most graduates. Typical students leave with about $23,000 in federal loan debt, while families who choose Parent PLUS loans borrow an average of $17,409. The university maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, indicating that graduates generally manage their debt obligations successfully despite the moderate earnings levels. This strong repayment performance suggests that while debt levels are meaningful, they align well with graduates' actual earning capacity and career stability.
The combination of moderate debt levels and solid earnings beyond expectations creates a sustainable financial equation for most families. Students benefit from the personalized attention and career preparation that private colleges provide, while debt remains at levels that don't overwhelm graduates' long-term financial flexibility or career choices.
Concordia University-Chicago Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
