Top 50 Best Certificate Programs in Illinois by ROI

Every Certificate program in Illinois ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Illinois

149

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$248,463

Across all Illinois programs

Average Annual Cost

$19,198

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Grad rate: 29.4%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$683,357	$76,645	$9,543	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Southwestern Illinois College Grad rate: 32.5%	Fire Protection.	+$548,931	$70,937	$12,596	$12,750	Full ROI →
3	Rock Valley College Grad rate: 38.0%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$519,543	$69,285	$14,351	$8,745	Full ROI →
4	Rock Valley College Grad rate: 38.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$414,069	$63,421	$14,351	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$362,843	$60,634	$9,837	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Kaskaskia College Grad rate: 43.6%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$339,642	$59,584	$12,038	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Danville Area Community College Grad rate: 42.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$336,402	$59,340	$10,398	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Verve College	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$287,040	$57,360	N/A	$14,933	Full ROI →
9	Danville Area Community College Grad rate: 42.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$282,101	$57,241	$10,398	$9,126	Full ROI →
10	Ambria College of Nursing	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$258,084	$55,706	N/A	$11,878	Full ROI →
11	Lincoln Land Community College Grad rate: 41.2%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$222,680	$53,714	$11,600	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Moraine Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.8%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$197,239	$52,458	$11,921	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Southwestern Illinois College Grad rate: 32.5%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$176,604	$51,460	$12,596	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$163,023	$50,643	$9,837	N/A	Full ROI →
15	MDT College of Health Sciences Grad rate: 51.4%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$119,251	$51,448	$34,271	$26,250	Full ROI →
16	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$112,543	$48,119	$9,837	N/A	Full ROI →
17	CALC Institute of Technology	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$110,957	$48,206	N/A	$9,750	Full ROI →
18	Moraine Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.8%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$110,799	$48,136	$11,921	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Southwestern Illinois College Grad rate: 32.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$89,754	$47,860	$12,596	$11,000	Full ROI →
20	Lincoln Land Community College Grad rate: 41.2%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$82,989	$47,159	$11,600	$6,363	Full ROI →
21	Lewis and Clark Community College Grad rate: 45.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$67,153	$46,626	$9,167	$12,000	Full ROI →
22	Graham Hospital School of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$63,238	$48,482	$27,408	$28,884	Full ROI →
23	Lincoln Land Community College Grad rate: 41.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$48,468	$45,756	$11,600	$11,149	Full ROI →
24	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Ground Transportation.	+$18,612	$43,693	$9,837	$4,008	Full ROI →
25	William Rainey Harper College Grad rate: 44.6%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$3,748	$43,118	$12,833	$9,834	Full ROI →
26	Capital Area Career Center	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$8,959	$42,424	N/A	$12,918	Full ROI →
27	Carl Sandburg College Grad rate: 40.4%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$9,795	$42,050	$10,795	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Career Center of Southern Illinois Grad rate: 69.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$11,420	$44,020	$28,900	$16,978	Full ROI →
29	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Precision Metal Working.	-$23,337	$41,325	$9,837	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Worsham College of Mortuary Science Grad rate: 75.0%	Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.	-$24,574	$43,316	$30,150	$15,366	Full ROI →
31	McHenry County College Grad rate: 36.6%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$26,311	$41,333	$12,971	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Kishwaukee College Grad rate: 37.2%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$27,224	$41,364	$14,504	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Lincoln Land Community College Grad rate: 41.2%	Ground Transportation.	-$27,845	$41,559	$11,600	$5,500	Full ROI →
34	Triton College Grad rate: 31.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$34,568	$40,852	$11,608	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Kaskaskia College Grad rate: 43.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$42,118	$40,496	$12,038	N/A	Full ROI →
36	Elgin Community College Grad rate: 38.9%	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.	-$46,017	$40,191	$9,837	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc Grad rate: 54.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$53,629	$41,747	$29,341	$14,243	Full ROI →
38	William Rainey Harper College Grad rate: 44.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$76,705	$39,397	$12,833	$8,750	Full ROI →
39	ETI School of Skilled Trades Grad rate: 77.8%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	-$80,772	$40,206	$32,067	$9,500	Full ROI →
40	Rasmussen University-Illinois Grad rate: 40.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$95,826	$39,867	$24,447	$21,274	Full ROI →
41	John Wood Community College Grad rate: 46.3%	Precision Metal Working.	-$114,886	$36,923	$13,346	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Moraine Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.8%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$117,121	$36,740	$11,921	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois Grad rate: 70.2%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	-$127,068	$38,139	$32,298	$13,000	Full ROI →
44	Sauk Valley Community College Grad rate: 48.3%	Precision Metal Working.	-$134,213	$36,002	$14,253	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Lewis and Clark Community College Grad rate: 45.2%	Precision Metal Working.	-$154,547	$34,731	$9,167	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Midwestern Career College Grad rate: 62.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$169,425	$35,525	$15,063	$18,417	Full ROI →
47	Moraine Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.8%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$172,601	$33,966	$11,921	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Black Hawk College Grad rate: 40.2%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$176,079	$34,628	$11,809	$12,467	Full ROI →
49	Southwestern Illinois College Grad rate: 32.5%	Precision Metal Working.	-$179,071	$34,115	$12,596	$6,500	Full ROI →
50	Southwestern Illinois College Grad rate: 32.5%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	-$184,116	$33,424	$12,596	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.