- 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 21,901 students (20% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 22:1 is higher than the state community college average of 21:1.
Minority enrollment is 56% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 53%.
Quick Stats (2025)
- Enrollment: 21,901 students
- In-state tuition: $9,264
- Out-state tuition: $11,076
- Student:teacher ratio: 22:1
- Minority enrollment: 56%
- Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Top Rankings
William Rainey Harper College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:
School Overview
The teacher population of 984 teachers has stayed relatively flat 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/Career & 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
227 staff
School Calendar
Student Body
The student population of William Rainey Harper College has grown by 62% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 22:1 has increased from 12:1 over five years.
The William Rainey Harper College diversity score of 0.69 is equal to the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
21,901 students
3,270 students
Student : Teacher Ratio
22:1
21:1
# Full-Time Students
4,444 students
1,007 students
# Part-Time Students
17,457 students
2,747 students
# Enrollment Undergraduate
219 students
328 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
4,444 students
1,007 students
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
43 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
17,457 students
3,310 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
18 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
132 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
n/a
% Asian
15%
6%
% Hispanic
30%
26%
% Black
4%
13%
% White
44%
47%
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
3%
% Non Resident races
1%
1%
% Unknown races
2%
4%
Diversity Score
0.69
0.69
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
0.4374%
0.4%
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.38%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$39,400
$31,800
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
The public in-state tuition of $9,264 is more than the state average of $7,875. 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 $10,847. The out-state tuition has declined by 5% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$9,264
$7,875
Out-State Tuition Fees
$11,076
$10,847
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
58%
82%
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,750
$8,187
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$4,618
Acceptance Rate
n/a
89%
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: 2024 (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 and Largest student body.
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