Prairie State College vs. SRC

Comparable Facts

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

Prairie State College is larger than SRC based on total student enrollment (2,953 students vs. 1,247 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting); Spoon River College is in Canton, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Spoon River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie State College 12:1; Spoon River College 14:1.

Prairie State College vs. SRC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prairie State College or SRC? 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 Spoon River College than Prairie State College ($4,153 vs. $5,317).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spoon River College are 38.8% lower than at Prairie State College ($4,600 vs. $7,516).
• Spoon River College is 32.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Prairie State College (about $3,003 more per year; $12,345.00 vs. $9,342.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22% higher at SRC than at Prairie State College (about $2,436 more per year; $13,500.00 vs. $11,064.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Spoon River College than at Prairie State College (84% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 7.9% larger than aid received by Spoon River College students ($8,470 vs. $7,850).

Prairie State College vs. SRC Admissions comparison

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

Prairie State College vs. SRC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Prairie State College and SRC? 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 $1,500 more per year than SRC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $31,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More SRC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (42% 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.