Joliet Junior College
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and in-state Illinois residents. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 8,843 students.
About This School
Joliet Junior College is a public institution located in Joliet, Illinois with approximately 8,843 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $5,741 per year. Typical graduates earn $36,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Joliet Junior College (JJC) is a public community college in Joliet, Illinois. Founded in 1901, it was the first public community college founded in the United States.
As the first public community college in the U.S. (founded in 1901), this school carries real historical weight, but the more practical case for attending is the price — just $5,741/year on average after aid, with graduates leaving with only $5,500 in median debt. The trade-off to consider honestly is that median earnings sit at $36,400 ten years out, which is modest, so this makes the most sense as a low-cost starting point toward a transfer degree or a specific vocational credential rather than a standalone path to high-earning careers.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 14% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Joliet Junior College graduates earn most above the national rate in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications ($71,822 vs $54,971 nationally).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 595 | $46,576 | $44,125 | +$2,451 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 112 | $60,852 | $50,181 | +$10,671 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 97 | $83,413 | $80,813 | +$2,600 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 48 | $70,645 | $65,389 | +$5,256 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 39 | $48,069 | $41,460 | +$6,609 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 35 | $44,605 | $39,605 | +$5,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 24 | $55,317 | $48,733 | +$6,584 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 17 | $69,595 | $58,424 | +$11,171 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 14 | $71,822 | $54,971 | +$16,851 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 12 | $47,059 | $46,706 | +$353 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (8,843 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Joliet Junior College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Joliet Junior College cost?
The average net price at Joliet Junior College is about $5,741 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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