- Harper College (also William Rainey Harper College) is a two-year community college in Palatine, Illinois. The college was established by referendum in 1965, and in 1971 Harper's construction was finished, the first community college to be completed in Illinois. It is named for William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago.
School Highlights
William Rainey Harper College serves 13,988 students (29% of students are full-time).
The college's student-teacher ratio of 42:1 is higher than the state community college average of 33:1.
Minority enrollment is 57% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 54%.
Quick Facts (26-27)
- Enrollment: 13,988 students
- In-state tuition: $9,264
- Out-state tuition: $11,076
- Student-teacher ratio: 42:1
- Minority enrollment: 57%
- Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Top Rankings
William Rainey Harper College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Community Size
Student Earnings
School Overview
The teacher population of 332 teachers has declined by 66% over five years.
William Rainey Harper College
(IL) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges
Associate's Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Year Founded
1965
Total Faculty
332 staff
94 staff
School Calendar
Student Body
The student population of William Rainey Harper College has grown by 14% over five years.
The student-teacher ratio of 42:1 has increased from 14:1 over five years.
The William Rainey Harper College diversity score of 0.70 is more than the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has grown by 14% over five years.
Total Enrollment
13,988 students
3,095 students
Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data
Student-Teacher Ratio
42:1
33:1
# Full-Time Students
4,053 students
1,013 students
Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data
# Part-Time Students
9,935 students
2,082 students
Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data
# Enrollment Undergraduate
13,988 students
2,720 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
4,053 students
1,082 students
Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
9,935 students
2,308 students
% Asian
15%
5%
Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data
% Hispanic
30%
28%
Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data
% Black
4%
13%
Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data
% White
43%
46%
Showing 2010–2025. View full 19-year historical data
% Hawaiian
2%
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
3%
% Non Resident races
1%
1%
% Unknown races
1%
4%
Diversity Score
0.70
0.69
Showing 2011–2025. View full 19-year historical data
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
44%
38%
Showing 2015–2025. View full 19-year historical data
Median Earnings 10 Years After Entry (measured in 2022-2023, in 2024 dollars)
$54,357
$42,901
Points are in the dollars of their own College Scorecard release, and the colleges behind the state line differ by period. The lines do not show inflation-adjusted growth.
Tuition & Financial Aid
The public in-state tuition of $9,264 is more than the state average of $8,019. The in-state tuition has declined by 6% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $11,076 is more than the state average of $10,874. The out-state tuition has declined by 5% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$9,264
$8,019
Showing 2008–2024. View full 18-year historical data
Out-State Tuition Fees
$11,076
$10,874
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
74%
80%
Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,750
$8,029
Showing 2008–2020. View full 14-year historical data
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$4,618
Showing 2008–2020. View full 14-year historical data
Source: 2025 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators
School Notes
- Harper College (also William Rainey Harper College) is a two-year community college in Palatine, Illinois. The college was established by referendum in 1965, and in 1971 Harper's construction was finished, the first community college to be completed in Illinois. It is named for William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago. We offer a full range of credit and non-credit courses, career training opportunities and continuing education options for professional development and personal enrichment as well as academic transfer programs. Our faculty is among the best. And because, like William Rainey Harper himself, we believe that higher education should be accessible to all, we offer a flexible schedule of daytime, nighttime and weekend classes at our main campus and at several other sites conveniently located throughout our service area. Avanté, Center for Science, Health Careers and Emerging Technologies is a state-of-the-art learning center for Harper College's nationally acclaimed programs in health, science and computer technology. The Center occupies 292,926 square feet of space, or six and one half acres. Avanté houses 10 major academic programs including nursing, dental hygiene, medical imaging, cardiac care, electronics, computer science, biology and chemistry. The name Avanté implies “advancement” or “moving forward,” while the Center itself creates an inspiring environment to advance teaching and learning in the sciences, technology and health care for current and future generations. It contains 400 rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does William Rainey Harper College cost?
William Rainey Harper College's tuition is approximately $9,264 for In-State students and $11,076 for Out-State students.
What is William Rainey Harper College's ranking?
William Rainey Harper College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Illinois for: Diversity in US community colleges, Largest student body and Highest median earnings 10 years after entry.
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