RACC vs. Laurel Business Institute

Comparable Facts

Compare Reading Area Community College in Reading, PA with Laurel Business Institute in Uniontown, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Reading Area Community College is larger than Laurel Business Institute based on total student enrollment (5,369 students vs. 518 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Reading Area Community College is located in Reading, PA (Small City setting); Laurel Business Institute is in Uniontown, PA (Small Suburban setting).
• Reading Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Laurel Business Institute is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Reading Area Community College 19:1; Laurel Business Institute 9:1.

RACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RACC or Laurel Business Institute? 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 Laurel Business Institute than RACC ($6,925 vs. $9,089).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Laurel Business Institute are 66.5% lower than at Reading Area Community College ($3,620 vs. $10,800).
• Laurel Business Institute is 21.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than RACC (about $2,403 more per year; $13,713.00 vs. $11,310.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.6% higher at Laurel Business Institute than at Reading Area Community College (about $1,203 more per year; $13,713.00 vs. $12,510.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Reading Area Community College than at Laurel Business Institute (74% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Laurel Business Institute students is 50.9% larger than aid received by Reading Area Community College students ($8,453 vs. $5,603).

RACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RACC or Laurel Business Institute? 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 Laurel Business Institute and RACC.

• Reading Area Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RACC - Open admission; Laurel Business Institute - Test-free.

RACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RACC and Laurel Business Institute? 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 Reading Area Community College earn a median of about $8,500 more per year than Laurel Business Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $24,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Reading Area Community College graduates have a $1,400 lower median loan debt than Laurel Business Institute graduates ($10,600 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, RACC graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Laurel Business Institute graduates ($109 vs. $124).
• More Laurel Business Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RACC students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 33%)

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.