Prairie State College vs. Richland Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Prairie State College is larger than Richland Community College based on total student enrollment (2,953 students vs. 2,388 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); Richland Community College is in Decatur, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Richland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie State College 12:1; Richland Community College 15:1.

Prairie State College vs. Richland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College 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 Prairie State College ($4,527 vs. $5,317).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 37.5% lower than at Richland Community College ($7,516 vs. $12,020).
• Richland Community College is 15.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $1,458 more per year; $10,800.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 54.3% higher at Richland Community College than at Prairie State College (about $6,006 more per year; $17,070.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Richland Community College than at Prairie State College (81% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 29.8% larger than aid received by Richland Community College students ($8,470 vs. $6,527).

Prairie State College vs. Richland Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Prairie State College 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 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; Richland Community College - Open admission.

Prairie State College vs. Richland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College 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 Prairie State College earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than Richland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $30,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Richland Community College graduates have a $3,470 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($6,762 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, Richland Community College graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($69 vs. $105).
• More Richland Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (34% 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.