ECC vs. College of Lake County

Comparable Facts

Compare Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL with College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of Lake County is larger than ECC based on total student enrollment (12,530 students vs. 10,251 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); College of Lake County is in Grayslake, IL (Midsize Suburban setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of Lake County is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; College of Lake County 16:1.

ECC vs. College of Lake County Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or College of Lake County? 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 Elgin Community College than College of Lake County ($5,020 vs. $6,357).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 47.4% lower than at College of Lake County ($8,829 vs. $16,800).
• College of Lake County is 52.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $3,729 more per year; $10,869.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 51.3% higher at College of Lake County than at Elgin Community College (about $4,884 more per year; $14,400.00 vs. $9,516.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Elgin Community College than at College of Lake County (69% vs. 52%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of Lake County students is 22.8% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($6,361 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. College of Lake County Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or College of Lake County? 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 College of Lake County and ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; College of Lake County - Open admission.

ECC vs. College of Lake County Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and College of Lake County? 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 Lake County earn a median of about $300 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,800 vs. $35,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $107 lower median loan debt than College of Lake County graduates ($5,393 vs. $5,500).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of Lake County graduates ($55 vs. $56).
• More College of Lake County graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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.