SWIC vs. Carl Sandburg College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Carl Sandburg College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 1,603 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Carl Sandburg College is in Galesburg, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Southwestern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Carl Sandburg College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Illinois College 17:1; Carl Sandburg College 15:1.

SWIC vs. Carl Sandburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Carl Sandburg College? 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 Carl Sandburg College than SWIC ($5,374 vs. $10,147).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carl Sandburg College are 33.9% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($7,875 vs. $11,910).
• Carl Sandburg College is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWIC (about $260 more per year; $8,000.00 vs. $7,740.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.4% higher at Carl Sandburg College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $2,180 more per year; $8,900.00 vs. $6,720.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Carl Sandburg College than at Southwestern Illinois College (94% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Carl Sandburg College students is 36.6% larger than aid received by Southwestern Illinois College students ($8,296 vs. $6,073).

SWIC vs. Carl Sandburg College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWIC or Carl Sandburg College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Carl Sandburg College and SWIC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SWIC - Open admission; Carl Sandburg College - Open admission.

SWIC vs. Carl Sandburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Carl Sandburg College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Carl Sandburg College earn a median of about $200 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,300 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Carl Sandburg College graduates have a $2,531 lower median loan debt than SWIC graduates ($4,444 vs. $6,975).
• Among borrowers, Carl Sandburg College graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SWIC graduates ($45 vs. $72).
• More Carl Sandburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWIC students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 34%)

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.