Harper vs Rend Lake College
William Rainey Harper College and Rend Lake College, both esteemed community colleges in Illinois, offer distinct educational experiences. Harper College, located in Palatine, boasts a higher acceptance rate (100%) compared to Rend Lake College in Ina (98%). Harper College's student body is more diverse, with a larger population of female students and a higher percentage of international students. Rend Lake College, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (44%) than Harper College (39%). To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions, including popular majors, student demographics, and financial aid options. Explore the table to find the college that best aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.
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![]() Rend Lake College |
![]() William Rainey Harper College |
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Overview |
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Location | Ina, Illinois | Palatine, Illinois |
Campus setting | Rural: Distant | Suburb: Large |
College type | 2 year | 2 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 66.0% | 74.0% |
![]() |
No | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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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 |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$22,888
Out of state:
$23,638
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In state:
$29,820
Out of state:
$31,632
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Average net price | $9,518 | $7,112 |
Tuition |
In state:
$5,250
Out of state:
$6,000
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In state:
$9,372
Out of state:
$11,184
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Room & board | ||
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
87.0%
Average amount $4,820 |
57.0%
Average amount $4,971 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
3.0%
Average amount $4,807 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $7,036 |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,002
Men 45.0% Women 55.0% |
12,015
Men 44.2% Women 55.8% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Very Low
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 0.0% | 0.5% |
International students | N/A | 0.6% |
Campus local/setting | Rural: Distant | Suburb: Large |
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 | Illinois Pennsylvania Wisconsin Georgia Iowa |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 17:1 | 16:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 59.3% | 37.8% |
Dropout rate | 27.8% | 28.9% |
Transferred out | 9.3% | 20.6% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
Culinary Arts and Related Services (Associate's Degrees)
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
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Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees)
Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degrees)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
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