William Rainey Harper College
- 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 13,477 students (34% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 14:1 is same as the state community college average of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 51% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 52%.
Quick Stats (2022-23)
- Enrollment: 13,477 students
- In-state tuition: $9,264
- Out-state tuition: $11,076
- Student:teacher ratio: 14:1
- Minority enrollment: 51%
- 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
Completion Rates
School Overview
The teacher population of 984 teachers has grown by 140% over five years.
William Rainey Harper College
(IL) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional
Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
984 staff
239 staff
School Calendar
Student Body
The student population of William Rainey Harper College has declined by 9% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 14:1 has decreased from 37:1 over five years.
The William Rainey Harper College diversity score of 0.66 is less than the state average of 0.68. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
13,477 students
3,107 students
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
# Full-Time Students
4,519 students
1,099 students
# Part-Time Students
8,958 students
2,008 students
# Enrollment Undergraduate
105 students
365 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
4,519 students
1,109 students
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
22 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
8,958 students
2,080 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
10 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
136 students
% Asian
12%
5%
% Hispanic
29%
27%
% Black
4%
13%
% White
49%
48%
% Two or more races
2%
3%
% Non Resident races
1%
1%
% Unknown races
2%
3%
Diversity Score
0.66
0.68
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
10.11%
2.73%
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
1.54%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$39,400
$32,200
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
The public in-state tuition of $9,264 is more than the state average of $8,222. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $11,076 is more than the state average of $10,831. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$9,264
$8,222
Out-State Tuition Fees
$11,076
$10,831
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
51%
76%
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,750
$8,029
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$4,618
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%
SAT Reading
n/a
390
SAT Math
n/a
360
SAT Writing
n/a
355
ACT Composite
n/a
17
ACT English
n/a
17
ACT Math
n/a
17
Source: 2020 (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, Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation) and Highest completion rates.
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