City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College

30 E Lake St
Chicago, IL 60601
Top Ranked (2024-25): View Rankings
  • Harold Washington College is a learning-centered urban institution of higher education that offers accessible and affordable opportunities for academic advancement, career development, and personal enrichment. The College is committed to upholding high institutional and academic standards and to understanding and improving student learning.

School Highlights

City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College serves 5,750 students (37% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 14:1 is higher than the state community college average of 12:1.
Minority enrollment is 97% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 96%.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 5,750 students
  • In-state tuition: $6,460
  • Out-state tuition: $7,891
  • Student:teacher ratio: 14:1
  • Minority enrollment: 97%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 399 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
(IL) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
399 staff
227 staff
This chart displays total faculty of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and community college average number of faculty in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College has declined by 20% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 14:1 has decreased from 18:1 over five years.
The City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College diversity score of 0.71 is more than the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
5,750 students
2,558 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and community college average number of enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
12:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and community college average student staff ratio of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
2,149 students
872 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
3,601 students
1,686 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Illinois.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
526 students
40 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
2,149 students
872 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
43 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
3,601 students
1,719 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
16 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
132 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
7%
5%
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Asian
28%
12%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Asian community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hispanic
n/a
1%
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Black
43%
25%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Black community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
3%
4%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of White community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hawaiian
14%
48%
This chart displays the percentage of Hawaiian students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Two or more races
1%
4%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Non Resident students in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
3%
1%
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Illinois.
Diversity Score
0.71
0.69
This chart displays the diversity score of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the community college average diversity score of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
0.2362%
0.3913%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.6%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$28,900
$31,800
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Illinois by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $6,460 is less than the state average of $7,875. The in-state tuition has declined by 29% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $7,891 is less than the state average of $10,847. The out-state tuition has declined by 31% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$6,460
$7,875
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$7,891
$10,847
This chart displays tuition fees for an out-of-state student of City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
81%
82%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$5,250
$8,187
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$3,750
$4,618
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
89%
SAT Reading
n/a
390
SAT Math
n/a
360
SAT Writing
n/a
355
ACT Composite
n/a
17
ACT English
n/a
17
ACT Math
n/a
17
Source: 2023 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • Harold Washington College was founded in 1962 as Loop College, and was placed in the heart of the downtown business district to serve Chicago's business community through a broad spectrum of courses, two-year degrees, and certificate programs. Some of the academic programs that were offered during this period included business, data processing, and various course options within the human services profession. In 1987, the college's name was changed to commemorate Chicago's late Mayor Harold Washington. From its beginning, this has been a comprehensive college, offering students the traditional transfer-oriented liberal arts and sciences curricula as well as career and vocational programs. Today's student body displays a diverse mix of cultures, backgrounds, purposes and academic interests. Enrolling from throughout the city and throughout the world (almost fifty countries), Harold Washington College students are attracted by the combination of central location, high quality instruction, flexible class scheduling, wide-ranging course offerings, reasonable tuition rates and state-of-the-art educational facilities and equipment. At Harold Washington College each academic department's facilities reflect state-of-the-art modernity, from Chemistry's spectrophotometers and Information Technology's microcomputers to Architecture & Engineering's Computer-Assisted-Design systems, the Foreign Language laboratory's taped program library, and state of the art computers and software. In addition to more than 55,000 books, the Library and Learning Resource Center has a media-production room with audio/video tape facilities, and student carrels with television receivers, audio/video tape recorders, phonographs and slide viewers. The entire building at Harold Washington College is fully accessible to the disabled. HWC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a Member of the North Central Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College cost?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College's tuition is approximately $6,460 for In-State students and $7,891 for Out-State students.
What is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College's ranking?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Illinois for: Least expensive tuition, Diversity in US community colleges and Least debt for graduating students.
In what neighborhood is City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College located?
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College is located in the Chicago Loop neighborhood of Chicago, IL. There are 5 other community '.colleges.' located in Chicago Loop.

Recent Articles

What are Community Colleges Doing with Labor Department Grants?
What are Community Colleges Doing with Labor Department Grants?
The article explores how community colleges are utilizing Labor Department grants, particularly the TAACCCT program, to develop workforce training programs. It highlights various initiatives across different states, focusing on industry-specific training and skill development in emerging sectors.
For-Profit Universities Looking to Partner with Community Colleges
For-Profit Universities Looking to Partner with Community Colleges
This article examines the trend of for-profit universities, particularly the University of Phoenix, seeking partnerships with community colleges. It discusses the potential benefits and controversies surrounding these collaborations, focusing on transfer agreements and workforce training programs.
New Analysis Shows How California Community Colleges Could Cut Millions in Spending
New Analysis Shows How California Community Colleges Could Cut Millions in Spending
The article discusses a California Watch analysis revealing potential savings in California's community college system through administrative consolidation. It explores the implications of such cost-cutting measures and the challenges in implementing them within the state's education system.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 5,750 students
  • In-state tuition: $6,460
  • Out-state tuition: $7,891
  • Student:teacher ratio: 14:1
  • Minority enrollment: 97%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Quick Links