Harper vs. Heartland Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL with Heartland Community College in Normal, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Heartland Community College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 4,855 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• William Rainey Harper College is located in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting); Heartland Community College is in Normal, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Heartland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: William Rainey Harper College 21:1; Heartland Community College 18:1.

Harper vs. Heartland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harper or Heartland Community 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 Heartland Community College than Harper ($11,165 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Heartland Community College are 19% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($11,550 vs. $14,251).
• Heartland Community College is 5.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harper (about $528 more per year; $10,590.00 vs. $10,062.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.4% higher at Heartland Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (about $1,236 more per year; $13,110.00 vs. $11,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Heartland Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (67% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 11.6% larger than aid received by Heartland Community College students ($7,368 vs. $6,601).

Harper vs. Heartland Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harper or Heartland Community 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 Heartland Community College and Harper.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Harper - Open admission; Heartland Community College - Open admission.

Harper vs. Heartland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harper and Heartland Community 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 William Rainey Harper College earn a median of about $10,000 more per year than Heartland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $30,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Heartland Community College graduates have a $3,250 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($6,750 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Heartland Community College graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($69 vs. $103).
• More Harper graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Heartland Community College students, three years after graduation. (46% 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.