MCC vs. Richland Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL with Richland Community College in Decatur, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

McHenry County College is larger than Richland Community College based on total student enrollment (9,399 students vs. 2,388 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• McHenry County College is located in Crystal Lake, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Richland Community College is in Decatur, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• McHenry County College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Richland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: McHenry County College 25:1; Richland Community College 15:1.

MCC vs. Richland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCC or Richland Community 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 Richland Community College than MCC ($4,527 vs. $6,334).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Richland Community College are 0.6% lower than at McHenry County College ($12,020 vs. $12,090).
• Richland Community College is 3.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than MCC (about $408 more per year; $10,800.00 vs. $10,392.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at Richland Community College than at McHenry County College (about $2,671 more per year; $17,070.00 vs. $14,399.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Richland Community College than at McHenry County College (81% vs. 33%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Richland Community College students is 1.6% larger than aid received by McHenry County College students ($6,527 vs. $6,422).

MCC vs. Richland Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MCC or Richland Community College? 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 Richland Community College and MCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MCC - Open admission; Richland Community College - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman MCC students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (2.25) than students at Richland Community College (2.15).

MCC vs. Richland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MCC and Richland Community College? 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 McHenry County College earn a median of about $2,800 more per year than Richland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,800 vs. $30,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, McHenry County College graduates have a $2,262 lower median loan debt than Richland Community College graduates ($4,500 vs. $6,762).
• Among borrowers, MCC graduates have an estimated $23 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Richland Community College graduates ($46 vs. $69).
• More MCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Richland Community College students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 34%)

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.