ECC vs. Highland Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL with Highland Community College in Freeport, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Elgin Community College is larger than Highland Community College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 1,360 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); Highland Community College is in Freeport, IL (Distant Town setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Highland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; Highland Community College 13:1.

ECC vs. Highland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Highland Community 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 Elgin Community College than Highland Community College ($5,020 vs. $5,393).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highland Community College are 32.6% lower than at Elgin Community College ($5,950 vs. $8,829).
• Highland Community College is 1.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $76 more per year; $7,216.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.3% higher at ECC than at Highland Community College (about $2,156 more per year; $9,516.00 vs. $7,360.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highland Community College than at Elgin Community College (73% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Highland Community College students is 37.6% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($7,127 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Highland Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or Highland Community 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 Highland Community College 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; Highland Community College - Open admission.

ECC vs. Highland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Highland Community 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 Elgin Community College earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Highland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $2,107 lower median loan debt than Highland Community College graduates ($5,393 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Highland Community College graduates ($55 vs. $77).
• More ECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Highland Community College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 41%)

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.