SWIC vs. Lake Land College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Lake Land College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 3,960 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Lake Land College is in Mattoon, IL (Remote Town setting).
• Southwestern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Lake Land College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Illinois College 17:1; Lake Land College 13:1.

SWIC vs. Lake Land College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Lake Land 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 Lake Land College than SWIC ($4,414 vs. $10,147).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Land College are 49.6% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($6,000 vs. $11,910).
• Lake Land College is 7.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWIC (about $602 more per year; $8,342.00 vs. $7,740.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 112.8% higher at Lake Land College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $7,581 more per year; $14,301.00 vs. $6,720.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Land College than at Southwestern Illinois College (80% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Illinois College students is 8.2% larger than aid received by Lake Land College students ($6,073 vs. $5,615).

SWIC vs. Lake Land College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWIC or Lake Land 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 Lake Land 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; Lake Land College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Lake Land College Sep 3, 2026.

SWIC vs. Lake Land College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Lake Land 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 Lake Land College earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,600 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have a $2,475 lower median loan debt than SWIC graduates ($4,500 vs. $6,975).
• Among borrowers, Lake Land College graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SWIC graduates ($46 vs. $72).
• More Lake Land College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWIC students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.