Highland Community College vs. SIC

Comparable Facts

Compare Highland Community College in Freeport, IL with Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southeastern Illinois College is larger than Highland Community College based on total student enrollment (1,446 students vs. 1,360 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highland Community College is located in Freeport, IL (Distant Town setting); Southeastern Illinois College is in Harrisburg, IL (Distant Rural setting).
• Highland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southeastern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Highland Community College 13:1; Southeastern Illinois College 17:1.

Highland Community College vs. SIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Highland Community College or SIC? 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 SIC ($5,393 vs. $12,781).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highland Community College are 33.9% lower than at Southeastern Illinois College ($5,950 vs. $9,000).
• Highland Community College is 10.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than SIC (about $676 more per year; $7,216.00 vs. $6,540.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.6% higher at Highland Community College than at Southeastern Illinois College (about $580 more per year; $7,360.00 vs. $6,780.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southeastern Illinois College than at Highland Community College (91% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Highland Community College students is 31.3% larger than aid received by Southeastern Illinois College students ($7,127 vs. $5,427).

Highland Community College vs. SIC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Highland Community College or SIC? 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 SIC 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; SIC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SIC Sep 1, 2026.

Highland Community College vs. SIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Highland Community College and SIC? 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 Southeastern Illinois College earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than Highland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,900 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.