Olney Central College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

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

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Olney Central College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 3,726 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is located in Olney, IL (Remote Town setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Illinois Eastern Community Colleges 15:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Olney Central College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Olney Central College or Harper? 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 Illinois Eastern Community Colleges than Harper ($10,309 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges are 48.5% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($7,338 vs. $14,251).
• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is 8.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harper (about $898 more per year; $10,960.00 vs. $10,062.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.9% higher at Olney Central College than at William Rainey Harper College (about $586 more per year; $12,460.00 vs. $11,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges than at William Rainey Harper College (94% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 14.6% larger than aid received by Illinois Eastern Community Colleges students ($7,368 vs. $6,430).

Olney Central College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Olney Central College or Harper? 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 Harper and Olney Central College.

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

Olney Central College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Olney Central College and Harper? 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 $8,200 more per year than Olney Central College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $32,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges graduates have a $6,500 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($3,500 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Olney Central College graduates have an estimated $67 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($36 vs. $103).
• More Olney Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harper students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 46%)

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.