SWIC vs. Prairie State College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Prairie State College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 2,953 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Prairie State College is in Chicago Heights, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Southwestern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Prairie State College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Illinois College 17:1; Prairie State College 12:1.

SWIC vs. Prairie State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Prairie State 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 Prairie State College than SWIC ($5,317 vs. $10,147).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie State College are 36.9% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($7,516 vs. $11,910).
• Prairie State College is 20.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWIC (about $1,602 more per year; $9,342.00 vs. $7,740.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 64.6% higher at Prairie State College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $4,344 more per year; $11,064.00 vs. $6,720.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Prairie State College than at Southwestern Illinois College (68% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie State College students is 39.5% larger than aid received by Southwestern Illinois College students ($8,470 vs. $6,073).

SWIC vs. Prairie State College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWIC or Prairie State College? 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 Prairie State 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; Prairie State College - Open admission.

SWIC vs. Prairie State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Prairie State College? 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 Prairie State College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern Illinois College graduates have a $3,257 lower median loan debt than Prairie State College graduates ($6,975 vs. $10,232).
• Among borrowers, SWIC graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Prairie State College graduates ($72 vs. $105).
• More SWIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prairie State College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 28%)

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.