Lake Land College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Land College in Mattoon, 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 Lake Land College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 3,960 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lake Land College is located in Mattoon, IL (Remote Town setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Lake Land 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: Lake Land College 13:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Lake Land College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Land 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 Lake Land College than Harper ($4,414 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Land College are 57.9% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($6,000 vs. $14,251).
• William Rainey Harper College is 20.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lake Land College (about $1,720 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $8,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20.4% higher at Lake Land College than at William Rainey Harper College (about $2,427 more per year; $14,301.00 vs. $11,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Land College than at William Rainey Harper College (80% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 31.2% larger than aid received by Lake Land College students ($7,368 vs. $5,615).

Lake Land College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lake Land 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 Lake Land College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lake Land College - Open admission; Harper - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Lake Land College Sep 3, 2026.

Lake Land College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lake Land 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 $8,900 more per year than Lake Land College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have a $5,500 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($4,500 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have an estimated $57 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($46 vs. $103).
• More Lake Land College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harper students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.