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Best Community Colleges in Chicago: Transfer, Tuition & Programs for 2026

GradeToGrad Editorial Team

March 28, 2026

Compare Chicago's community colleges from $3,180 at Elgin to $4,920 at Triton. UIC's TAG program guarantees transfer for CCC students with a 3.0 GPA.

Why Community College in Chicago?

Chicago's community college network serves over 80,000 students across two systems — the City Colleges of Chicago (7 campuses in the city) and a ring of suburban community colleges. Tuition ranges from $3,180 to $4,920/year, and transfer pathways to University of Illinois Chicago, U of I Urbana-Champaign, and other state universities are well-established.

The standout deal: UIC's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program guarantees admission for City Colleges of Chicago students with a 3.0 GPA. That's a guaranteed path from a $4,380/year community college to one of the top public research universities in the Midwest.

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC)

The CCC system operates 7 campuses across Chicago proper. All share $4,380/year tuition for in-district residents.

Malcolm X College (Near West Side)

5,847 students. Houses the CCC School of Nursing with ADN graduates earning $70,086/year — the highest of any Chicago CC. Located in the Illinois Medical District next to Rush and UIC, it's the clear choice for health sciences students.

Wilbur Wright College (North Side)

4,186 students. Strong liberal arts and STEM transfer programs. Graduates earn $33,808 six years out — second highest among CCC campuses. Good option for North Side students planning to transfer to UIC, Northeastern Illinois, or DePaul.

Harold Washington College (Loop)

4,146 students. Located in downtown Chicago, making it accessible by CTA from nearly anywhere in the city. Business, pre-law, and liberal arts focus.

Richard J. Daley College (South Side)

2,540 students. Serves the southwest side and Back of the Yards neighborhood. Graduates earn $31,509 six years out.

Harry S. Truman College (Uptown)

2,248 students. Serves the diverse North Side with strong ESL and immigrant support programs.

CCC Star Scholarship: CPS high school graduates can attend any City College for free through the Star Scholarship program — covering tuition, fees, and books.

Suburban Community Colleges

Harper College (Palatine)

Tuition: $3,822/year | Enrollment: 8,815

The highest-earning CC in the Chicago area at $40,035 six years after enrollment. Located in the northwest suburbs, Harper has strong STEM, business, and health sciences programs. Nursing ADN graduates earn $62,113/year. Excellent transfer rates to University of Illinois schools and Northern Illinois University.

Joliet Junior College

Tuition: $4,530/year | Enrollment: 8,843

The first community college in America (founded 1901). Strong nursing ($63,822 earnings), engineering transfer, and workforce programs. JJC serves the southwest suburbs and has articulation agreements with most Illinois public universities.

Moraine Valley Community College (Palos Hills)

Tuition: $3,822/year | Enrollment: 7,417

South suburban location with strong nursing and allied health programs. ADN graduates earn $61,990/year. Good transfer pathway to UIC and Governors State University.

Elgin Community College

Tuition: $3,180/year | Enrollment: 6,463

The most affordable CC in the Chicago area at $3,180/year. Located in the far northwest suburbs serving the Fox Valley. Nursing graduates earn $56,095/year. Strong manufacturing and skilled trades programs.

Oakton College (Des Plaines)

Tuition: $3,985/year | Enrollment: 6,229

Serves the north suburbs with strong nursing ($63,332 earnings), STEM, and transfer programs. Has a direct Transfer Admission Guarantee to UIC for students with a 3.0 GPA.

Triton College (River Grove)

Tuition: $4,920/year | Enrollment: 6,229

West suburban college with strong nursing ($63,670 earnings) and technical programs. Nuclear medicine technology and radiography programs are unique offerings.

Transfer Pathways

UIC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)

The best transfer deal in Chicago: students at any CCC campus or participating suburban CCs with a 3.0 GPA get guaranteed admission to UIC. UIC's BSN program is ranked #13 nationally, so this is a direct path from a $4,380/year CC to a top-25 nursing school.

Chicago Roadmap 2.0

Launched in 2025, this partnership between City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, and UIC creates structured pathways to four-year degrees in education, healthcare, business, and computer science. Key features:

Zero credit loss transfer pathways from CCC to UIC
Coordinated academic advising across institutions
AI-powered degree planning portal (launching Fall 2026)
Priority support for transfer students

Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)

Illinois has a statewide transfer system: courses with IAI codes transfer directly between any participating Illinois institution. This means credits from Harper College transfer the same as credits from Oakton or JJC — no guesswork.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

CCC has a specific transfer agreement with UIUC, including a guaranteed transfer pathway for engineering students through the CCC engineering program.

Cost Comparison

Path	4-Year Total	Annual Tuition
4 years at UIC	$57,352	$14,338/yr
4 years at DePaul	$177,840	$44,460/yr
2yr CCC + 2yr UIC	$37,436	$4,380 then $14,338
2yr Elgin CC + 2yr UIC	$35,036	$3,180 then $14,338

The CC-to-UIC path saves $20,000-140,000 depending on which 4-year school you would have attended.

Best Programs by Field

Nursing: Malcolm X College ($70K earnings, in the Medical District), Oakton, Joliet Junior College

STEM/Engineering: Harper College (highest earnings), CCC Engineering Program (UIUC transfer path), Elgin CC

Skilled Trades: Triton (nuclear medicine, radiography), JJC (manufacturing), Daley College (construction trades)

Business: Harold Washington (downtown location), Harper College, Wright College

Health Sciences: Malcolm X (nursing, health info tech), Moraine Valley (allied health, dental hygiene)

Financial Aid

CCC Star Scholarship: Free tuition, fees, and books for CPS graduates at any City College
Illinois MAP Grant: Need-based aid covering tuition at community colleges
Federal Pell Grant: Up to $7,395/year — exceeds full tuition at all Chicago CCs
AIM HIGH Grants: Illinois institutional matching grants
CCC Foundation Scholarships: Hundreds of scholarships for CCC students

At $3,180-4,920/year tuition, most students with financial need attend for free or close to it.

How to Choose

Priority	Best Fit
Transfer to UIC (guaranteed)	Any CCC campus (3.0 GPA = TAG)
Nursing	Malcolm X College ($70K earnings, Medical District)
Lowest tuition	Elgin CC ($3,180/yr)
Best post-graduation earnings	Harper College ($40K at 6yrs)
CPS graduate (free tuition)	Any CCC campus via Star Scholarship
South suburbs	Moraine Valley or Prairie State
Northwest suburbs	Harper College or Elgin CC

Next Steps

Compare Chicago-area community colleges on GradeToGrad to see tuition, programs, and transfer rates.