Prairie State College vs. SIC

Comparable Facts

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

Prairie State College is larger than SIC based on total student enrollment (2,953 students vs. 1,446 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Prairie State College vs. SIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College or SIC? 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 SIC ($5,317 vs. $12,781).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 16.5% lower than at Southeastern Illinois College ($7,516 vs. $9,000).
• Prairie State College is 42.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SIC (about $2,802 more per year; $9,342.00 vs. $6,540.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 63.2% higher at Prairie State College than at Southeastern Illinois College (about $4,284 more per year; $11,064.00 vs. $6,780.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southeastern Illinois College than at Prairie State College (91% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 56.1% larger than aid received by Southeastern Illinois College students ($8,470 vs. $5,427).

Prairie State College vs. SIC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Prairie State College or SIC? 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 SIC 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; SIC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SIC Sep 1, 2026.

Prairie State College vs. SIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College and SIC? 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 $1,100 more per year than SIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $31,900), 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.