John Wood Community College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare John Wood Community College in Quincy, 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 John Wood Community College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 1,856 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• John Wood Community College is located in Quincy, IL (Rural Fringe setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• John Wood Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: John Wood Community College 14:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

John Wood Community College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, John Wood Community 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 John Wood Community College than Harper ($8,858 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Wood Community College are 36.8% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($9,000 vs. $14,251).
• William Rainey Harper College is 8.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than John Wood Community College (about $762 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $9,300.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.7% higher at Harper than at John Wood Community College (about $2,574 more per year; $11,874.00 vs. $9,300.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at John Wood Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (77% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 11.7% larger than aid received by John Wood Community College students ($7,368 vs. $6,598).

John Wood Community College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, John Wood Community 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 John Wood Community College.

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

John Wood Community College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for John Wood Community 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 $8,800 more per year than John Wood Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, John Wood Community College graduates have a $1,514 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($8,486 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, John Wood Community College graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($87 vs. $103).
• More John Wood Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harper students, three years after graduation. (50% 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.