ECC vs. Wabash Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL with Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Elgin Community College is larger than Wabash Valley College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 906 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); Wabash Valley College is in Mount Carmel, IL (Distant Town setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wabash Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; Wabash Valley College 18:1.

ECC vs. Wabash Valley College Cost Comparison

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

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wabash Valley College are 16.9% lower than at Elgin Community College ($7,338 vs. $8,829).
• Wabash Valley College is 28.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $2,040 more per year; $9,180.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.2% higher at Wabash Valley College than at Elgin Community College (about $1,734 more per year; $11,250.00 vs. $9,516.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Elgin Community College than at Wabash Valley College (69% vs. 0%).

ECC vs. Wabash Valley College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Wabash Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Wabash Valley 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 $3,100 more per year than Wabash Valley College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $32,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $107 lower median loan debt than Wabash Valley College graduates ($5,393 vs. $5,500).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Wabash Valley College graduates ($55 vs. $56).
• More Wabash Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (68% 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.