Northwestern College vs. Frontier Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Northwestern College in Oak Lawn, IL with Frontier Community College in Fairfield, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Frontier Community College is larger than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (2,364 students vs. 464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northwestern College is located in Oak Lawn, IL (Large Suburban setting); Frontier Community College is in Fairfield, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Northwestern College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution. Frontier Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Northwestern College 12:1; Frontier Community College 31:1.

Northwestern College vs. Frontier Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or Frontier Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Frontier Community College are 9.4% lower than at Northwestern College ($7,338 vs. $8,100).
• Northwestern College is 99.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Frontier Community College (about $9,100 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $9,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62.5% higher at Northwestern College than at Frontier Community College (about $7,030 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $11,250.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Northwestern College as at Frontier Community College (0% vs. 0%).

Northwestern College vs. Frontier Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern College or Frontier 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 Frontier Community College and Northwestern College.

• Frontier Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Northwestern College - Not reported; Frontier Community College - Open admission.

Northwestern College vs. Frontier Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northwestern College and Frontier 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 Northwestern College earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than Frontier Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,000 vs. $30,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Frontier Community College graduates have a $20,626 lower median loan debt than Northwestern College graduates ($6,374 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Frontier Community College graduates have an estimated $214 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Northwestern College graduates ($65 vs. $279).
• More Frontier Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 22%)

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.