Waubonsee Community College vs Prairie State College

Waubonsee Community College and Prairie State College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Illinois, offer diverse educational opportunities to students seeking a solid foundation for their academic and professional pursuits. While they share a commitment to academic excellence, these colleges exhibit distinct characteristics that cater to different student needs and aspirations. Waubonsee boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while Prairie State maintains a slightly more selective admissions process. In terms of student demographics, Waubonsee's student body is more diverse, reflecting a wider representation of ethnicities and backgrounds. As you explore the comprehensive comparison table provided, you'll discover further insights into the unique strengths and offerings of each college, enabling you to make an informed decision that aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Prairie State College	Waubonsee Community College
Overview
Location	Chicago Heights, Illinois	Sugar Grove, 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%	71.0%
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: $24,700 Out of state: $25,505
Average net price	$7,059	$6,455
Tuition	In state: $8,610 Out of state: $10,332	In state: $9,079 Out of state: $9,884
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	95.0% Average amount $3,064
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,749	15.0% Average amount $3,169
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,618 Men 34.9% Women 65.1%	7,779 Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	2.1%	0.2%
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 Georgia Michigan North Carolina

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science Automotive Technology Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Liberal Arts Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Automotive Technology Business
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	20:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	16.9%	32.8%
Dropout rate	51.8%	34.6%
Transferred out	20.1%	20.1%
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	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $57,294 Year 2: $61,303 Year 3: $61,103 Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $23,690 Year 2: $33,410 Year 3: $37,431 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $22,597 Year 2: $24,112 Year 3: $28,795 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: N/A

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