Prairie State College
Chicago Heights, IL 60411-8226
About Prairie State College
Prairie State College is a public certificate and vocational school in Chicago Heights, Illinois, enrolling about 2,443 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $4,738 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $4,176. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $36,696 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Prairie State College charges 24% below the national public median tuition ($4,176).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 0.3×.
- Average net price runs below the Illinois median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 21.03%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $36,696.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Prairie State College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1836% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie State College | $4,176 | $4,738 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,248 | $7,399 | 131 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Prairie State College really?
Key findings
- Prairie State College charges 24% below the national public median tuition ($4,176).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 0.3×.
- Average net price runs below the Illinois median net price.
Prairie State College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $4,176
Finding Prairie State College charges 24% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $4,176. That is 24% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Illinois median ($13,248), sticker tuition is about 0.3×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.4×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Prairie State College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Prairie State College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Prairie State College is $4,738.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $4,738 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,661 below the Illinois median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $13,962 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Prairie State College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Prairie State College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Prairie State College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$4,176
Out-of-state tuition
$11,064
Avg. net price
$4,738
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $3,546 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $3,013 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $7,839 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,127 |
| $110,001+ | $13,908 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $16,704. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Prairie State College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies322
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide136
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)62
- General Studies55
- Fire Science/Fire-fighting43
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Prairie State College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Prairie State College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Prairie State College.
Campus
Location
Chicago Heights, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60411-8226
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is about 0.3× the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
2,443
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 6,728
- Full-time share
- 36%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$11,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 33.00%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Prairie State College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Prairie State College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Prairie State College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $2,976 | $8,304 | $6,552 |
| 2014 | $3,372 | $9,084 | $7,858 |
| 2015 | $3,432 | $9,240 | $8,399 |
| 2016 | $3,804 | $9,972 | $7,726 |
| 2017 | $4,104 | $10,848 | $8,240 |
| 2018 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $8,196 |
| 2019 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $7,669 |
| 2020 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $8,981 |
| 2021 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $6,290 |
| 2022 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $3,301 |
| 2023 | $4,176 | $11,064 | $5,280 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Prairie State College reported total enrollment of about 2,443 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 40% male and 60% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (52.6%), Hispanic or Latino (23.5%), and White (12.3%). About 33.00% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 39.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
36.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Prairie State College in 2024 is 2,443 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 6,728 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
51.4%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
10.73% 100% Completion Time
21.03% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 10.73% of students graduating from Prairie State College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 38% male / 62% female
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide: 10% male / 90% female
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic): 66% male / 34% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Prairie State College graduates earn a median of $36,696 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Prairie State College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $36,696. Median federal loan debt: $11,000. Average net price used in cost models: $4,738.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Prairie State College graduates report median earnings of $36,696 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Prairie State College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (41 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Prairie State College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Prairie State College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Prairie State College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$2.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median 0.09× the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 0.08× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 0.10× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 0.07× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 0.07× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 0.09× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 29.9%
- Illinois median 20.9 pp below median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 28.1 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 28.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,268
- Illinois median 1.2× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 1.3× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,930
- Illinois median 0.78× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 0.77× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 0.81× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Prairie State College at a glance
Prairie State College
Prairie State College is a public institution in Chicago Heights, IL, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesNursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/AideEmergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American52.6%Hispanic or Latino23.5%White or Caucasian12.3%
Schools near Prairie State College
Other campuses in Chicago Heights, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Prairie State College located?
Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, IL.
What is Prairie State College's tuition?
Prairie State College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $4,176 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $4,738 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Prairie State College cost?
Reported tuition is $4,176 and average net price is $4,738 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $7,516 annually.
What explains Prairie State College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($4,738), completion (21.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($36,696). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Prairie State College?
Prairie State College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 6,728 students, Black or African American (52.6%), Hispanic or Latino (23.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Prairie State College?
About 39.3% of students at Prairie State College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Prairie State College earn?
Median earnings are $30,388 six years after entry and $36,696 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Prairie State College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 21.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Prairie State College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $11,000.
Is Prairie State College public or private?
Prairie State College is a public institution located in Chicago Heights, IL.
Is Prairie State College an HBCU?
No. Prairie State College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Prairie State College a tribal college?
No. Prairie State College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.