Douglas Education Center vs. RACC

Comparable Facts

Compare Douglas Education Center in Monessen, PA with Reading Area Community College in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Reading Area Community College is larger than Douglas Education Center based on total student enrollment (5,369 students vs. 178 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Douglas Education Center is located in Monessen, PA (Small Suburban setting); Reading Area Community College is in Reading, PA (Small City setting).
• Douglas Education Center is a private, for-profit 2-year institution. Reading Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Douglas Education Center 13:1; Reading Area Community College 19:1.

Douglas Education Center vs. RACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Douglas Education Center or RACC? 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 Reading Area Community College than Douglas Education Center ($9,089 vs. $25,167).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Douglas Education Center are 15.6% lower than at Reading Area Community College ($9,120 vs. $10,800).
• Douglas Education Center is 72% more expensive for in-state tuition than RACC (about $8,140 more per year; $19,450.00 vs. $11,310.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 55.5% higher at Douglas Education Center than at Reading Area Community College (about $6,940 more per year; $19,450.00 vs. $12,510.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Reading Area Community College than at Douglas Education Center (74% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Douglas Education Center students is 39.1% larger than aid received by Reading Area Community College students ($7,795 vs. $5,603).

Douglas Education Center vs. RACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Douglas Education Center or RACC? 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 RACC and Douglas Education Center.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Douglas Education Center - Open admission; RACC - Open admission.

Douglas Education Center vs. RACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Douglas Education Center and RACC? 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 Reading Area Community College earn a median of about $8,700 more per year than Douglas Education Center graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $24,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Reading Area Community College graduates have a $1,400 lower median loan debt than Douglas Education Center graduates ($10,600 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, RACC graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Douglas Education Center graduates ($109 vs. $124).
• More Douglas Education Center graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RACC students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 33%)

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.