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Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF

VanderCook College of Music

⌖ Chicago, IL · 1 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$156,520 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

25.3 yrsModeled economic break-even

−60%Modeled 10-year ROI

$55,260Observed earnings · year 5

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation

−$156,520at year 10

Net gainInvestment not yet recovered

NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED

−$259,1200

−$156,52010

FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$30,910

Sticker price

Published out-of-state tuition$30,910

Sticker price

Average net price$19,780

Title IV student average

Cost of attendance$44,613

Tuition + living budget

OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$19,780Average net price / year

$44,613Cost of attendance

$55,260Median earnings · year 5 after completion

66.7%Completion rate

89.5%Admission rate

76Student size

NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

73thEarnings percentile

62thCompletion percentile

EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$43,054Year 1

$55,437Year 4

$55,260Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas · Bachelor's Degree$52,671

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in IL

Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Chicago, IL

Roosevelt University

Annual net price: $20,194
Observed earnings · year 5: $55,619
Modeled 10-year ROI: -59%

Open college profile →Elgin, IL

Judson University

Annual net price: $18,558
Observed earnings · year 5: $55,286
Modeled 10-year ROI: -60%

Open college profile →Palos Heights, IL

Trinity Christian College

Annual net price: $19,125
Observed earnings · year 5: $53,698
Modeled 10-year ROI: -66%

Open college profile →Naperville, IL

North Central College

Annual net price: $21,044
Observed earnings · year 5: $58,756
Modeled 10-year ROI: -48%

Open college profile →

ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal field	Credential	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	Bachelor's Degree	$52,671	$27,000

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.