Sauk Valley Community College vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, IL with William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Sauk Valley Community College based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 1,467 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sauk Valley Community College is located in Dixon, IL (Rural Fringe setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Sauk Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sauk Valley Community College 14:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Sauk Valley Community College vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sauk Valley Community College or Harper? 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 Sauk Valley Community College than Harper ($9,141 vs. $12,145).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sauk Valley Community College are 24.2% lower than at William Rainey Harper College ($10,798 vs. $14,251).
• Sauk Valley Community College is 15.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harper (about $1,578 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $10,062.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.6% higher at Sauk Valley Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (about $1,026 more per year; $12,900.00 vs. $11,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sauk Valley Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (62% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 16.6% larger than aid received by Sauk Valley Community College students ($7,368 vs. $6,319).

Sauk Valley Community College vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sauk Valley Community College or Harper? 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 Harper and Sauk Valley Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sauk Valley Community College - Open admission; Harper - Open admission.

Sauk Valley Community College vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sauk Valley Community College and Harper? 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 William Rainey Harper College earn a median of about $6,900 more per year than Sauk Valley Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sauk Valley Community College graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($5,500 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Sauk Valley Community College graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($56 vs. $103).
• More Sauk Valley Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harper students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 46%)

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.