Highland Community College vs. Rend Lake College

Comparable Facts

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

Rend Lake College is larger than Highland Community College based on total student enrollment (2,015 students vs. 1,360 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highland Community College is located in Freeport, IL (Distant Town setting); Rend Lake College is in Ina, IL (Distant Rural setting).
• Highland 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: Highland Community College 13:1; Rend Lake College 19:1.

Highland Community College vs. Rend Lake College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Highland Community College 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 Highland Community College than Rend Lake College ($5,393 vs. $11,427).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highland Community College are 49% lower than at Rend Lake College ($5,950 vs. $11,678).
• Rend Lake College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Highland Community College (about $584 more per year; $7,800.00 vs. $7,216.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6% higher at Rend Lake College than at Highland Community College (about $440 more per year; $7,800.00 vs. $7,360.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rend Lake College than at Highland Community College (78% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Highland Community College students is 14% larger than aid received by Rend Lake College students ($7,127 vs. $6,250).

Highland Community College vs. Rend Lake College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Highland Community College 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 Highland Community College.

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

Highland Community College vs. Rend Lake College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Highland Community College 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 Highland Community College earn a median of about $500 more per year than Rend Lake College graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,400 vs. $29,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have a $4,000 lower median loan debt than Highland Community College graduates ($3,500 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have an estimated $41 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Highland Community College graduates ($36 vs. $77).
• More Highland Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rend Lake College students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.