Concordia University-Chicago

Concordia University-Chicago's program mix centers on Parks & Recreation, reflecting the institution's identity as a private Lutheran university with a focus on applied professional and human-services fields. The largest programs by enrollment are Kinesiology with 93 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $55,309, followed by Teacher Education with 38 graduates earning $45,532, and Health Administration with 33 graduates earning $73,256.

Across 16 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The institution's highest-earning programs cluster in business and applied fields.

Health Administration leads with median 4-year earnings of $73,256 from 33 graduates, followed by Human Resources Management and Services at $72,050 and Kinesiology at $55,309. These outcomes reflect Concordia University-Chicago's positioning as a career-focused institution where graduates move directly into the workforce in education, business administration, and human-services sectors.

The program portfolio emphasizes fields where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market entry rather than graduate-school pathways. Psychology, General, Subject-Specific Teacher Education, and the institution's other applied-professional programs support graduates into stable, in-demand roles in education, counseling, business, and nonprofit leadership.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Concordia University-Chicago's dominant program families align with regional and national workforce demand in the education and human-services sectors.

Concordia University-Chicago's published cost of attendance is $45,383. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $16,795, middle-income families pay around $15,768, and higher-income families pay approximately $23,907.

Azimuth ranks Concordia University-Chicago #538 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Concordia University-Chicago participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the institution evaluates demonstrated financial need to determine aid eligibility.

Merit-based scholarships may also be available; prospective students should review the financial aid page for current policies and application requirements. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,968; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $71,699, median federal debt of $23,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $260 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Concordia University-Chicago earn median 4-year earnings of $71,699, placing Concordia University-Chicago in the 73.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $17,122 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Concordia University-Chicago in the 93.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Concordia University-Chicago #226 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Concordia University-Chicago's concentration in Parks & Recreation and related applied fields.

Kinesiology is the largest program with 93 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $55,309, performing at 1.0x the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Teacher Education program graduates 38 students with median 4-year earnings of $45,532, and Health Administration graduates 33 with median 4-year earnings of $73,256.

These programs anchor Concordia University-Chicago's degree output and contribute to the institution's overall earnings profile among nonprofit four-year institutions.