William Rainey Harper College
Tel:
(847)925-6000
- 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 14,957 students (36% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 37:1 is higher than the state community college average of 35:1.
- Minority enrollment is 35% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 40%.
- William Rainey Harper College is one of 28 community colleges within Cook County, IL.
- The nearest community college to William Rainey Harper College is Worsham College of Mortuary Science (8.8 miles away).
Top Placements
William Rainey Harper College places among the top 20% of community colleges in Illinois for:
- Category Attribute
- Community Size Largest student body
- Student Earnings Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation)
School Overview
- The teacher population of 402 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| William Rainey Harper College | (IL) Community College Avg. | |
| Carnegie Classification | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges |
| Institution Level | Less than 2 yrs | At least 2 but less than 4 years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 402 staff | 123 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 14,957 students | 3,999 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 37:1 | 35:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 5,391 students | 1,386 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 9,566 students | 2,613 students |
 |  | |
| % Asian | 9% | 4% |
| % Hispanic | 17% | 16% |
| % Black | 3% | 14% |
| % White | 65% | 60% |
| % Two or more races | 2% | 1% |
| % Non Resident races | - | - |
| % Unknown races | 3% | 5% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.54 | 0.59 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 21% | 25% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $39,400 | $31,800 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
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.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to William Rainey Harper College is Worsham College of Mortuary Science (8.8 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- Worsham College of Mortuary SciencePrivate, for profit108 students | 8.80 Mi495 Northgate Pkwy
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847)808-8444 8.80108 - Oakton Community CollegePublic10,589 students | 10.00 Mi1600 E Golf Rd.
Des Plaines, IL 60016
(847)635-1600 10.0010,589 - Elgin Community CollegePublic15,074 students | 13.50 Mi1700 Spartan Drive
Elgin, IL 60123
(847)697-1000 13.5015,074 - College of DuPagePublic29,476 students | 16.50 Mi425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
(630)942-2800 16.5029,476 - Triton CollegePublic11,577 students | 16.50 Mi2000 5th Ave
River Grove, IL 60171
(708)456-0300 16.5011,577
Recent Articles
Complaints about the current system of accrediting community colleges, combined with the quickly changing scope of community college education and how it’s delivered, may soon necessitate changes in the way that community college programs are accredited.
Community college enrollment is in decline, but some schools are refusing to roll over. Read on to learn the factors impacting enrollment rates and what some schools are doing to stay afloat.
In a time of change, the LGBTQ community is receiving more support than ever and the world is changing with each passing year. As a young adult member of the LGBTQ community, you have unique opportunities to take advantage of when preparing to enter college if you choose to. Keep reading to learn what you can expect to see during your college search and how best to prepare for your freshman year.
