SWIC vs. Lincoln Trail College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Lincoln Trail College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 605 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

SWIC vs. Lincoln Trail College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Lincoln Trail College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lincoln Trail College are 38.4% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($7,338 vs. $11,910).
• Lincoln Trail College is 18.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWIC (about $1,440 more per year; $9,180.00 vs. $7,740.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 67.4% higher at Lincoln Trail College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $4,530 more per year; $11,250.00 vs. $6,720.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Illinois College than at Lincoln Trail College (55% vs. 0%).

SWIC vs. Lincoln Trail College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWIC or Lincoln Trail 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 Lincoln Trail 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; Lincoln Trail College - Open admission.

SWIC vs. Lincoln Trail College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Lincoln Trail 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 Lincoln Trail College earn a median of about $6,200 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,300 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lincoln Trail College graduates have a $2,475 lower median loan debt than SWIC graduates ($4,500 vs. $6,975).
• Among borrowers, Lincoln Trail College graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SWIC graduates ($46 vs. $72).
• More Lincoln Trail College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWIC students, three years after graduation. (50% 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.