Waubonsee vs. Harper

Comparable Facts

Compare Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, IL with William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William Rainey Harper College is larger than Waubonsee based on total student enrollment (13,988 students vs. 8,305 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Waubonsee Community College is located in Sugar Grove, IL (Rural Fringe setting); William Rainey Harper College is in Palatine, IL (Large Suburban setting).
• Waubonsee Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. William Rainey Harper College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Waubonsee Community College 21:1; William Rainey Harper College 21:1.

Waubonsee vs. Harper Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Waubonsee or Harper? 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 William Rainey Harper College than Waubonsee ($12,145 vs. $12,754).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Rainey Harper College are 37.2% lower than at Waubonsee Community College ($14,251 vs. $22,700).
• William Rainey Harper College is 7.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Waubonsee (about $672 more per year; $10,062.00 vs. $9,390.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.3% higher at Harper than at Waubonsee Community College (about $1,397 more per year; $11,874.00 vs. $10,477.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Waubonsee Community College than at William Rainey Harper College (75% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by William Rainey Harper College students is 21.7% larger than aid received by Waubonsee Community College students ($7,368 vs. $6,055).

Waubonsee vs. Harper Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Waubonsee or Harper? 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 Harper and Waubonsee .

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

Waubonsee vs. Harper Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Waubonsee and Harper? 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 William Rainey Harper College earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than Waubonsee graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Waubonsee Community College graduates have a $3,500 lower median loan debt than Harper graduates ($6,500 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Waubonsee graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Harper graduates ($67 vs. $103).
• More Harper graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Waubonsee students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 43%)

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.