ECC vs. Rock Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

Elgin Community College is larger than Rock Valley College based on total student enrollment (10,251 students vs. 5,978 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ECC vs. Rock Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Rock Valley 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 Rock Valley College ($5,020 vs. $5,445).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 18.3% lower than at Rock Valley College ($8,829 vs. $10,808).
• Rock Valley College is 3.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $239 more per year; $7,379.00 vs. $7,140.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29% higher at ECC than at Rock Valley College (about $2,137 more per year; $9,516.00 vs. $7,379.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Elgin Community College than at Rock Valley College (69% vs. 49%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rock Valley College students is 21.4% larger than aid received by Elgin Community College students ($6,288 vs. $5,178).

ECC vs. Rock Valley College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Rock Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Rock 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 $1,100 more per year than Rock Valley College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,500 vs. $34,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Elgin Community College graduates have a $899 lower median loan debt than Rock Valley College graduates ($5,393 vs. $6,292).
• Among borrowers, ECC graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Rock Valley College graduates ($55 vs. $65).
• More ECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rock Valley College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 41%)

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.