Prairie State Rankings and Evaluation

Community Colleges

#13 in Community Colleges

Prairie State College is ranked 13^rd in Community Colleges.

The following statements evaluate Prairie State College by comparing key academic facts to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Its tuition & fees of $11,064 is comparable to similar schools.
It has small number of students of 2,953.
The financial aid amount ($7,849) is extremely higher.
It offers relatively fewer area of study (73 programs).

Undergraduate Tuition & Fees

The 2025 undergraduate tuition & fees of Prairie State are $11,064 (out-of-state rate) and it is average compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College $11,064

All U.S. Colleges $17,692

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges $8,177

2-4 Years Colleges $13,123

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois $11,451

Graduation Rate

The average graduation rate at Prairie State is 21% and it is lower (less completion rate) compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College 21%

All U.S. Colleges 56%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges 34%

2-4 Years Colleges 47%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois 34%

Transfer-out Rate

The average transfer-out rate at Prairie State is 28% and it is extremely higher (many students transferred-out) compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College 28%

All U.S. Colleges 21%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges 17%

2-4 Years Colleges 16%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois 20%

Retention Rate

The average retention rate at Prairie State is 51% and it is lower (many students stopped or transferred-out) compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College 51%

All U.S. Colleges 69%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges 61%

2-4 Years Colleges 65%

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois 65%

Student Population

The total student population at Prairie State is 2,953 and its population small compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College 2,953

All U.S. Colleges 2,931

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges 5,796

2-4 Years Colleges 3,035

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois 5,904

Financial Aid Amount

The average amount of financial aid received at Prairie State is $7,849 which is 70.94% of tuition & fees. The rate of the financial aid over its tuition is extremely higher compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.

Prairie State College $7,849

All U.S. Colleges $7,676

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges $4,837

2-4 Years Colleges $4,948

Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois $4,766

Student to Faculty Ratio

The students to faculty ratio at Prairie State is 12 to 1 and the ratio is very lower (smaller size classes) compared to Public, 2-4 Years Colleges in Illinois.