ECC vs. Lake Land College

Comparable Facts

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

Elgin Community College is larger than Lake Land College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 3,960 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ECC vs. Lake Land College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Lake Land 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 Lake Land College than ECC ($4,414 vs. $5,020).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Land College are 32% lower than at Elgin Community College ($6,000 vs. $8,829).
• Lake Land College is 16.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $1,202 more per year; $8,342.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.3% higher at Lake Land College than at Elgin Community College (about $4,785 more per year; $14,301.00 vs. $9,516.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Land College than at Elgin Community College (80% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Land College students is 8.4% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($5,615 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Lake Land College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or Lake Land 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 Lake Land 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; Lake Land College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Lake Land College Sep 3, 2026.

ECC vs. Lake Land College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Lake Land 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 $3,900 more per year than Lake Land College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have a $893 lower median loan debt than ECC graduates ($4,500 vs. $5,393).
• Among borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ECC graduates ($46 vs. $55).
• More Lake Land College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.