SWIC vs. Rock Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Rock Valley College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 5,978 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Rock Valley College is in Rockford, IL (Midsize City setting).
• Southwestern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rock Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Illinois College 17:1; Rock Valley College 19:1.

SWIC vs. Rock Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Rock Valley 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 Rock Valley College than SWIC ($5,445 vs. $10,147).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rock Valley College are 9.3% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($10,808 vs. $11,910).
• Southwestern Illinois College is 4.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rock Valley College (about $361 more per year; $7,740.00 vs. $7,379.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.8% higher at Rock Valley College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $659 more per year; $7,379.00 vs. $6,720.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Illinois College than at Rock Valley College (55% vs. 49%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rock Valley College students is 3.5% larger than aid received by Southwestern Illinois College students ($6,288 vs. $6,073).

SWIC vs. Rock Valley College Admissions comparison

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

SWIC vs. Rock Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Rock Valley 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 Rock Valley College earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Rock Valley College graduates have a $683 lower median loan debt than SWIC graduates ($6,292 vs. $6,975).
• Among borrowers, Rock Valley College graduates have an estimated $7 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SWIC graduates ($65 vs. $72).
• More Rock Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWIC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.