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Rockford, IL · Sugar Grove, IL
| Rock Valley College | Waubonsee Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $5,242/yr | $11,442/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $3,409/yr | $7,360/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $8,500 | $7,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $4,228/yr | $8,641/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $6,756/yr | $11,806/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $8,615/yr | $16,173/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $11,568/yr | $18,171/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $90/mo | $74/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $10,808/yr | $22,700/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,600/yr | $1,600/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $11,920/yr | $19,336/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $4,334/yr | $3,504/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $7,379/yr | $10,477/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 28% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 4.2% | 6.3% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 37% | 39% |
| Freshmen who come back | 70% | 70% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $39,158/yr | $44,788/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $21,986–$59,068 | $25,469–$67,992 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 32% | 34% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $34,774/yr | $39,016/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 55% | 58% |
| Graduate on time | 18% | 20% |
| First-gen students who finish | 19% | 24% |
| Low-income students who finish | 17% | 21% |
| Students who transfer out | 16% | 20% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $37,290/yr | $41,993/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 35% · Health Professions 25% · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 11% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 30% · Health Professions 24% · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 16% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 35% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 30% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 25% of degrees | Health Professions — 24% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 11% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 16% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Mechanic & Repair Technologies — 10% of degrees | Mechanic & Repair Technologies — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 3% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 4% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $68,229/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $66,440/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 7.6% | 6.5% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 4,359 | 5,721 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 21 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $7,815/mo | $12,797/mo |
| Full-time professors | 38% | 20% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $25,439 | $30,454 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | Rural (fringe) |
| Location | Rockford, IL | Sugar Grove, IL |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1965 | 1966 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.6% | 0% |
| Men | 46% | 45% |
| Women | 54% | 55% |
| White students | 51% | 38% |
| Black students | 9.4% | 9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 28% | 46% |
| Asian students | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Two or more races | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| Other / not reported | 4.2% | 0.5% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 50% | 49% |
| Part-time students | 55% | 59% |
| Students age 25+ | 25% | 26% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $6,924/yr | $5,571/yr |
| Endowment | $8.8M | $7.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division II | NJCAA Division II |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 11 | 14 |
| Student athletes | 173 | 184 |
| Athletic scholarships | $314,388 | $173,564 |
| Athletics budget | $1.9M | $993,337 |
| Athletics revenue | $2.0M | $993,337 |
| Recruiting spend | $8,596 | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.