Chamberlain University-Illinois
Addison, Illinois · Private For-Profit · 82.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 75/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Chamberlain University-Illinois scores 75 (Strong Value) on the CampusROI scale. This is a single-program institution: Registered Nursing is the only reported program, and it is what Chamberlain does exclusively. With 5,665 nursing graduates, the Scorecard figure is highly reliable. Average 6-year earnings of $69,800 and a 4.7-year payback period are the headline strengths. Registered Nursing earns $83,188 year-one and $96,132 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.471 (ROI grade C+). Repayment rate of 66.5% at three years reflects the dropout problem - many borrowers are not graduates and therefore struggle with repayment. Chamberlain is for-profit, which should be factored into how prospective students evaluate claims about program quality and student support.
The median graduate earns $92,405 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Chamberlain University-Illinois
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,536/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,536/yr |
| Average net price | $31,837/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $127,348 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $92,405 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $69,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,919 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $222 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 14,027 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $21,536/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $31,837/year, or roughly $127,348 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $30,013/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $40,826/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,919, which works out to about $222 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($69,800) and comes to 0.30, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $30,013 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $30,090 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,050 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,607 |
| $110,001+ | $40,826 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $30,013 per year at Chamberlain. Four years at $30,013 totals $120,052. Against median nursing earnings of $83,188 at year one, graduates who complete can recover this cost, but the 41.7% completion rate means most low-income students who enroll will not reach that point.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $34,050 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $32,607. Net prices are very similar across income bands - again suggesting limited income-based differentiation. Middle-income families pay $34,050 annually ($136,200 over four years) for a program where median nursing earnings are $83,188 year-one and median debt is $39,146. The financial math works for graduates but not for the 58.3% who do not complete.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $40,826 per year, roughly $163,304 over four years. This is full-cost nursing education at a for-profit institution. High-income families paying full cost for Chamberlain when Illinois public nursing programs exist at $10,000-$15,000 per year should have a specific reason - schedule flexibility, geographic accessibility - that justifies the premium.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Chamberlain University-Illinois with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $96,132 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Chamberlain's only program and the basis of all ROI analysis: 5,665 graduates, $83,188 year-one, $96,132 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.471 (ROI grade C+). The earnings figures are solid - year-one above $83k is strong for new RNs. Median debt for this program is $39,146. The C+ grade reflects the elevated debt load despite good earnings.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Chamberlain University-Illinois’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 82.6% |
| Enrollment | 14,027 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,912 |
At 82.6% admission, Chamberlain is broadly accessible. The Scorecard does not report test score ranges. Admission is not a meaningful filter; Chamberlain appears to recruit broadly and accept widely.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Chamberlain's year-one earnings are $83,188.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain University-Illinois (this school) | 75 | $31,837 | $92,405 |
| West Coast University-Orange County | 83 | $32,879 | $102,672 |
| West Coast University-Ontario | 71 | $49,590 | $102,672 |
| West Coast University-Los Angeles | 69 | $53,020 | $102,672 |
| Columbia Southern University | 69 | $14,580 | $63,534 |
| Galen College of Nursing-Louisville | 64 | $18,540 | $61,480 |
Who Thrives Here
Chamberlain admits 82.6% of applicants and does not report SAT or ACT ranges. At 14,027 enrolled, it is a large institution operating on an accelerated nursing curriculum model. The Pell grant rate of 33.3% indicates significant financial need. Chamberlain serves students who want direct entry into nursing without a traditional four-year liberal arts structure. The appeal is professional focus and flexible scheduling. The completion rate of 41.7% is the critical caveat - the majority of students who start the nursing program do not finish it, and those who drop out accumulate Chamberlain's above-market debt without a credential.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Chamberlain University-Illinois pays off. You'd pay about $31,837 a year after aid ($127,348 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $92,405 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 4.7 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 41.7% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $20,919 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $69,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.30, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Chamberlain University-Illinois: Common Questions
Is Chamberlain University-Illinois worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Chamberlain University-Illinois pays off. It scores 75/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $31,837 a year after aid ($127,348 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $92,405 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.7 years to earn back.
How much does Chamberlain University-Illinois cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $31,837 a year, or roughly $127,348 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Chamberlain University-Illinois graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $92,405 ten years after enrolling, roughly $50,605 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Chamberlain University-Illinois?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 4.7 years for Chamberlain University-Illinois. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Chamberlain University-Illinois graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,919, against average earnings of $69,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.30. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Chamberlain University-Illinois?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.7%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.