Black Hawk College vs. Richland Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Black Hawk College in Moline, IL with Richland Community College in Decatur, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Black Hawk College is larger than Richland Community College based on total student enrollment (4,001 students vs. 2,388 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Black Hawk College is located in Moline, IL (Small City setting); Richland Community College is in Decatur, IL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Black Hawk College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Richland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Black Hawk College 18:1; Richland Community College 15:1.

Black Hawk College vs. Richland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Black Hawk College or Richland Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Richland Community College than Black Hawk College ($4,527 vs. $5,069).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Black Hawk College are 35.1% lower than at Richland Community College ($7,796 vs. $12,020).
• Richland Community College is 35.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Black Hawk College (about $2,850 more per year; $10,800.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 110.7% higher at Richland Community College than at Black Hawk College (about $8,970 more per year; $17,070.00 vs. $8,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Richland Community College than at Black Hawk College (81% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Black Hawk College students is 4.9% larger than aid received by Richland Community College students ($6,850 vs. $6,527).

Black Hawk College vs. Richland Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Black Hawk College or Richland Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Richland Community College and Black Hawk College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Black Hawk College - Open admission; Richland Community College - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman Black Hawk College students have a 1.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Richland Community College (2.15).

Black Hawk College vs. Richland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Black Hawk College and Richland Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Black Hawk College earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than Richland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,000 vs. $30,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Black Hawk College graduates have a $53 lower median loan debt than Richland Community College graduates ($6,709 vs. $6,762).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Richland Community College and Black Hawk College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($69 vs. $69).
• More Black Hawk College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Richland Community College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 34%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.