Prairie State College vs. Northwestern College

Comparable Facts

Compare Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL with Northwestern College in Oak Lawn, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Prairie State College is larger than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (2,953 students vs. 464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); Northwestern College is in Oak Lawn, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northwestern College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie State College 12:1; Northwestern College 12:1.

Prairie State College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College or Northwestern 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 Prairie State College are 7.2% lower than at Northwestern College ($7,516 vs. $8,100).
• Northwestern College is 95.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $8,938 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65.2% higher at Northwestern College than at Prairie State College (about $7,216 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Prairie State College than at Northwestern College (68% vs. 0%).

Prairie State College vs. Northwestern College Admissions comparison

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

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

Prairie State College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College and Northwestern 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 Prairie State College earn a median of about $1,000 more per year than Northwestern College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Prairie State College graduates have a $16,768 lower median loan debt than Northwestern College graduates ($10,232 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Prairie State College graduates have an estimated $174 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Northwestern College graduates ($105 vs. $279).
• More Prairie State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (28% 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.