ECC vs. Parkland College

Comparable Facts

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

Elgin Community College is larger than Parkland College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 6,014 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); Parkland College is in Champaign, IL (Small City setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Parkland College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; Parkland College 14:1.

ECC vs. Parkland College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Parkland 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 Parkland College ($5,020 vs. $7,681).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 6.1% lower than at Parkland College ($8,829 vs. $9,400).
• Parkland College is 35% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $2,502 more per year; $9,642.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 39.4% higher at Parkland College than at Elgin Community College (about $3,750 more per year; $13,266.00 vs. $9,516.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Elgin Community College than at Parkland College (69% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Parkland College students is 39.9% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($7,244 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Parkland College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Parkland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Parkland 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 $1,500 more per year than Parkland College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $34,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $2,607 lower median loan debt than Parkland College graduates ($5,393 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Parkland College graduates ($55 vs. $82).
• More ECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Parkland College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 32%)

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.