Jefferson Community College vs Harper

Jefferson Community College and William Rainey Harper College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Jefferson, with an acceptance rate of 100%, welcomes all students, while Harper's 98% acceptance rate reflects its commitment to accessibility. While Jefferson's student body is predominantly female (58%), Harper boasts a more balanced gender ratio (51% female, 49% male). Both colleges offer a diverse range of programs, with popular majors including Business, Health Professions, and Liberal Arts. However, Harper's graduation rate of 25% outpaces Jefferson's 15%, indicating a higher success rate in helping students complete their degrees. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions. Explore the data and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and goals.
Jefferson Community College logo

Jefferson Community College

William Rainey Harper College logo

William Rainey Harper College

Overview

Location Watertown, New York Palatine, Illinois
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 52.0% 74.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission Open Admission
Application fees $25
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $21,828
In state: $29,820

Out of state: $31,632
Average net price $10,944 $7,112
Tuition $5,016
In state: $9,372

Out of state: $11,184
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,190

Meal plan: $5,100
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

77.0%
Average amount $6,839
57.0%
Average amount $4,971
Students receiving federal student loan 35.0%
Average amount $4,756
3.0%
Average amount $4,807
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $5,879
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,362
Men 36.4% Women 63.6%
12,015
Men 44.2% Women 55.8%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 1.8% 0.5%
International students 0.6% 0.6%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 294 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York Texas Connecticut Hawaii Maryland Illinois Pennsylvania Wisconsin Georgia Iowa

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 27.8% 37.8%
Dropout rate 47.8% 28.9%
Transferred out 19.4% 20.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,791
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $63,129
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,304
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $30,750
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,080
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $30,501
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,005
  • Year 2: $22,192
  • Year 3: $28,511
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $24,421
  • Year 3: $26,658
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $24,032
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: N/A
Legal Support Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $18,309
  • Year 3: N/A
Community Organization and Advocacy (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,999
  • Year 3: N/A
Accounting and Related Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,892
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $73,991
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,058
  • Year 2: $59,937
  • Year 3: $64,559
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,114
  • Year 2: $61,908
  • Year 3: $62,113
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $27,669
  • Year 3: $43,118
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,127
  • Year 3: $39,397
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,090
  • Year 2: $27,319
  • Year 3: $34,147
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,373
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $32,807
Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,238
  • Year 2: $22,420
  • Year 3: $27,387
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $30,173
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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