Olney Central College vs. Prairie State College

Comparable Facts

Compare Illinois Eastern Community Colleges in Olney, IL with Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is larger than Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (3,726 students vs. 2,953 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is located in Olney, IL (Remote Town setting); Prairie State College is in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Illinois Eastern Community Colleges 15:1; Prairie State College 12:1.

Olney Central College vs. Prairie State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Olney Central College or Prairie State 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 Prairie State College than Olney Central College ($5,317 vs. $10,309).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges are 2.4% lower than at Prairie State College ($7,338 vs. $7,516).
• Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is 17.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $1,618 more per year; $10,960.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.6% higher at Olney Central College than at Prairie State College (about $1,396 more per year; $12,460.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges than at Prairie State College (94% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 31.7% larger than aid received by Illinois Eastern Community Colleges students ($8,470 vs. $6,430).

Olney Central College vs. Prairie State College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Olney Central College or Prairie State College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Prairie State College 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; Prairie State College - Open admission.

Olney Central College vs. Prairie State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Olney Central College and Prairie State College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Prairie State College earn a median of about $700 more per year than Olney Central College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $32,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges graduates have a $6,732 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($3,500 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, Olney Central College graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($36 vs. $105).
• More Olney Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 28%)

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.