Prairie State College vs. Rend Lake College

Comparable Facts

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

Prairie State College is larger than Rend Lake College based on total student enrollment (2,953 students vs. 2,015 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); Rend Lake College is in Ina, IL (Distant Rural setting).
• Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rend Lake College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie State College 12:1; Rend Lake College 19:1.

Prairie State College vs. Rend Lake College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College or Rend Lake 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 Prairie State College than Rend Lake College ($5,317 vs. $11,427).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 35.6% lower than at Rend Lake College ($7,516 vs. $11,678).
• Prairie State College is 19.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rend Lake College (about $1,542 more per year; $9,342.00 vs. $7,800.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 41.8% higher at Prairie State College than at Rend Lake College (about $3,264 more per year; $11,064.00 vs. $7,800.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rend Lake College than at Prairie State College (78% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 35.5% larger than aid received by Rend Lake College students ($8,470 vs. $6,250).

Prairie State College vs. Rend Lake College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Prairie State College or Rend Lake 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 Rend Lake College 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; Rend Lake College - Open admission.

Prairie State College vs. Rend Lake College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College and Rend Lake 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 $3,100 more per year than Rend Lake College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $29,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have a $6,732 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($3,500 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, Rend Lake College graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($36 vs. $105).
• More Rend Lake College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (40% 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.