Prairie State College vs. SSC

Comparable Facts

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

South Suburban College is larger than Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (3,818 students vs. 2,953 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); South Suburban College is in South Holland, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Suburban College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie State College 12:1; South Suburban College 17:1.

Prairie State College vs. SSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College or SSC? 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 South Suburban College than Prairie State College ($3,814 vs. $5,317).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Suburban College are 22.1% lower than at Prairie State College ($5,856 vs. $7,516).
• South Suburban College is 18.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $1,691 more per year; $11,033.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.6% higher at SSC than at Prairie State College (about $1,619 more per year; $12,683.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at South Suburban College than at Prairie State College (69% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 19.9% larger than aid received by South Suburban College students ($8,470 vs. $7,063).

Prairie State College vs. SSC Admissions comparison

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

Prairie State College vs. SSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College and SSC? 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 $2,600 more per year than SSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.