Spoon River College vs Prairie State College

Spoon River College and Prairie State College, both esteemed community colleges in Illinois, offer diverse educational opportunities to students seeking higher education. While they share a commitment to academic excellence and student success, they also possess distinct characteristics that cater to different preferences and aspirations. Spoon River College boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while Prairie State College maintains a more selective admissions process. In terms of popular majors, Spoon River College excels in liberal arts and sciences, while Prairie State College specializes in career-oriented programs such as nursing and business. Additionally, the student body demographics vary, with Spoon River College having a slightly larger population and a higher percentage of part-time students. As for graduation rates, Prairie State College holds a slight edge over Spoon River College. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table to discover which college aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Prairie State College	Spoon River College
Overview
Location	Chicago Heights, Illinois	Canton, Illinois
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Rural: Fringe
College type	2 year	2 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	53.0%	69.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees
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	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	In state: $25,562 Out of state: $27,284	In state: $20,130 Out of state: $21,210
Average net price	$7,059	$6,064
Tuition	In state: $8,610 Out of state: $10,332	In state: $10,080 Out of state: $11,160
Room & board
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	60.0% Average amount $6,684	88.0% Average amount $5,552
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,749	18.0% Average amount $4,295
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	3.0% Average amount $6,629

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,618 Men 34.9% Women 65.1%	1,273 Men 41.3% Women 58.7%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Very Low
Out-of-state students	2.1%	0.0%
International students	1.4%	N/A
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Illinois Indiana Missouri	Illinois

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science Automotive Technology Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Business
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	16.9%	42.2%
Dropout rate	51.8%	42.2%
Transferred out	20.1%	13.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $58,132 Year 2: $56,867 Year 3: $60,449 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $48,414 Year 2: $53,697 Year 3: $57,487 Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $23,649 Year 3: $24,160 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $29,171 Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: $24,036 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $37,124 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $17,950 Year 3: N/A	N/A

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