Rend Lake College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Ina, Illinois. It enrolls 1,175 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes61
Value53
Affordability47
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Rend Lake College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Rend Lake College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,187 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,187
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,500
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,800
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,678
Books & Supplies
$400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,572
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,731
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,424
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,653
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,818
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,858
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,00010%percentile
$1,75025%percentile
$5,809Medianpercentile
$5,68275%percentile
$10,25990%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Dependent students $3,500
↓ $2,309
Independent students $5,778
—
Female students $4,915
↓ $894
Male students $3,500
↓ $2,309
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,841, less than completers ($5,809), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Rend Lake College graduate within six years, and 66% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
66%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Rend Lake College earn a median of $35,775 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$35,775
Earning > $25K
59%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$26,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$27,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$35,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,000, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↓
2.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 56% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Rend Lake College is home to 1,175 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 43% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,175
Part-Time
26%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 85.4%1,003
Black 6.6%77
Other 4.3%50
Hispanic 2.8%33
Asian 0.7%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Rend Lake College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantIna, Illinois
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
18%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Rend Lake College offers
a varied set of programs:
39 distinct programs across
15 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Rend Lake College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,648
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$6.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$70,681
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
43 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
25
58%
$80,366
Associate Professors
13
30%
$58,409
Instructors
3
7%
$58,753
No Rank
2
5%
$47,283
Pros & Cons of Rend Lake College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Rend Lake College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Tight-knit, close community feel
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Rend Lake College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rend Lake College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Rend Lake College.
Is Rend Lake College hard to get into?
Rend Lake College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Rend Lake College?
Rend Lake College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Rend Lake College cost?
The average net price after aid at Rend Lake College is $9,187 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Rend Lake College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $35,775 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,187 per year. That's roughly 3.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Rend Lake College known for?
Rend Lake College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Biological and Physical Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Rend Lake College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Rend Lake College are $35,775, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Rend Lake College accredited?
Yes. Rend Lake College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Rend Lake College?
Rend Lake College enrolls 1,175 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Rend Lake College?
Rend Lake College graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Rend Lake College a public or private college?
Rend Lake College is a Public institution.
Where is Rend Lake College located?
Rend Lake College is located in Ina, Illinois.
What programs does Rend Lake College offer?
Rend Lake College offers 39 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Biological and Physical Sciences.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Rend Lake College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Rend Lake College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Illinois
Other colleges in Illinois share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
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