Black Hawk College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare Black Hawk College in Moline, IL with William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Black Hawk College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 4,001 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Black Hawk College is located in Moline, IL (Small City setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Black Hawk College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Black Hawk College 18:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Black Hawk College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Black Hawk College or Harper? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Black Hawk College than Harper ($5,069 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Black Hawk College are 45.3% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($7,796 vs. $14,251).
• William Rainey Harper College is 26.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Black Hawk College (about $2,112 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 46.6% higher at Harper than at Black Hawk College (about $3,774 more per year; $11,874.00 vs. $8,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Black Hawk College than at William Rainey Harper College (75% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 7.6% larger than aid received by Black Hawk College students ($7,368 vs. $6,850).

Black Hawk College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Black Hawk College or Harper? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harper and Black Hawk College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Black Hawk College - Open admission; Harper - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman Black Hawk College students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Harper (2.94).

Black Hawk College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Black Hawk College and Harper? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from William Rainey Harper College earn a median of about $8,500 more per year than Black Hawk College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Black Hawk College graduates have a $3,291 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($6,709 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Black Hawk College graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($69 vs. $103).
• More Black Hawk College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harper students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.