Prairie State College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, 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 Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 2,953 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Prairie State 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: Prairie State College 12:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Prairie State College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State 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 Prairie State College than Harper ($5,317 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 47.3% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($7,516 vs. $14,251).
• William Rainey Harper College is 7.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $720 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.3% higher at Harper than at Prairie State College (about $810 more per year; $11,874.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Prairie State College than at William Rainey Harper College (68% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 15% larger than aid received by William Rainey Harper College students ($8,470 vs. $7,368).

Prairie State College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Prairie State 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 Prairie State College.

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

Prairie State College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State 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 $7,500 more per year than Prairie State College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, William Rainey Harper College graduates have a $232 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($10,000 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, Harper graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($103 vs. $105).
• More Harper graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (46% 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.