Harper vs. Frontier Community College

Comparable Facts

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

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Frontier Community College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 2,364 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• William Rainey Harper College is located in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting); Frontier Community College is in Fairfield, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Frontier Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: William Rainey Harper College 21:1; Frontier Community College 31:1.

Harper vs. Frontier Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harper or Frontier Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Frontier Community College are 48.5% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($7,338 vs. $14,251).
• William Rainey Harper College is 9.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Frontier Community College (about $882 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $9,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.5% higher at Harper than at Frontier Community College (about $624 more per year; $11,874.00 vs. $11,250.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at William Rainey Harper College than at Frontier Community College (55% vs. 0%).

Harper vs. Frontier Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harper or Frontier 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 Frontier 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; Frontier Community College - Open admission.

Harper vs. Frontier Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harper and Frontier 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 $9,700 more per year than Frontier Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $30,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Frontier Community College graduates have a $3,626 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($6,374 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Frontier Community College graduates have an estimated $38 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($65 vs. $103).
• More Harper graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Frontier Community College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 44%)

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.