ECC vs. Prairie State College

Comparable Facts

Compare Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL with Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Elgin Community College is larger than Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 2,953 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); Prairie State College is in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; Prairie State College 12:1.

ECC vs. Prairie State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Prairie State 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 Prairie State College ($5,020 vs. $5,317).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 14.9% lower than at Elgin Community College ($7,516 vs. $8,829).
• Prairie State College is 30.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $2,202 more per year; $9,342.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.3% higher at Prairie State College than at Elgin Community College (about $1,548 more per year; $11,064.00 vs. $9,516.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Elgin Community College than at Prairie State College (69% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 63.6% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($8,470 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Prairie State College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Prairie State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Prairie State 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 $2,500 more per year than Prairie State College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $4,839 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($5,393 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($55 vs. $105).
• More ECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 28%)

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.