COD vs. Prairie State College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL with Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of DuPage is larger than Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (26,224 students vs. 2,953 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of DuPage is located in Glen Ellyn, IL (Large Suburban setting); Prairie State College is in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• College of DuPage is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of DuPage 22:1; Prairie State College 12:1.

COD vs. Prairie State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, COD or Prairie State College? 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 Prairie State College than COD ($5,317 vs. $6,691).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 50.1% lower than at College of DuPage ($7,516 vs. $15,072).
• College of DuPage is 14% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $1,308 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.2% higher at COD than at Prairie State College (about $1,686 more per year; $12,750.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Prairie State College than at College of DuPage (68% vs. 50%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of DuPage students is 9.2% larger than aid received by Prairie State College students ($9,251 vs. $8,470).

COD vs. Prairie State College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, COD or Prairie State College? 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 Prairie State College and COD.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: COD - Open admission; Prairie State College - Open admission.

COD vs. Prairie State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for COD and Prairie State College? 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 College of DuPage earn a median of about $6,400 more per year than Prairie State College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,400 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More COD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 28%)

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.