ECC vs. Rend Lake College

Comparable Facts

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

Elgin Community College is larger than Rend Lake College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 2,015 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, IL (Midsize City setting); Rend Lake College is in Ina, IL (Distant Rural setting).
• Elgin Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rend Lake College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Elgin Community College 21:1; Rend Lake College 19:1.

ECC vs. Rend Lake College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Rend Lake 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 Rend Lake College ($5,020 vs. $11,427).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 24.4% lower than at Rend Lake College ($8,829 vs. $11,678).
• Rend Lake College is 9.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $660 more per year; $7,800.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22% higher at ECC than at Rend Lake College (about $1,716 more per year; $9,516.00 vs. $7,800.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rend Lake College than at Elgin Community College (78% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rend Lake College students is 20.7% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($6,250 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Rend Lake College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Rend Lake College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Rend Lake 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 $5,600 more per year than Rend Lake College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $29,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have a $1,893 lower median loan debt than ECC graduates ($3,500 vs. $5,393).
• Among borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ECC graduates ($36 vs. $55).
• More ECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rend Lake College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 40%)

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.