Rock Valley College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Rockford, Illinois. It enrolls 4,359 students (a mid-sized 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.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes43
Value86
Affordability57
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Rock Valley 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 Rock Valley 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 $5,242 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,242
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
4%
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)
$4,334
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,379
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,808
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,375
Total Cost of Attendance
$11,920
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
$3,409
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,228
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,756
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,615
Over $110,000
$11,568
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.
$1,08910%percentile
$1,76525%percentile
$8,500Medianpercentile
$6,75075%percentile
$11,50090%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
Pell recipients $5,620
↓ $2,880
No Pell $5,490
↓ $3,010
Dependent students $5,000
↓ $3,500
Independent students $7,406
↓ $1,094
Female students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,750, less than completers ($8,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Rock Valley College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
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 Rock Valley College earn a median of $39,158 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,158
Earning > $25K
65%
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
$30,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,500, about 24% 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.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Rock Valley College is home to 4,359 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students, 55% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
4,359
Part-Time
55%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 51.3%2,237
Hispanic 28.3%1,235
Black 9.4%410
Asian 3.4%146
Other 3.3%142
International 0.6%26
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Rock Valley College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityRockford, Illinois
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
25%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Rock Valley College offers
a varied set of programs:
29 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 Rock Valley College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,903
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7.8M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,410
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
117 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
41
35%
$79,379
Associate Professors
49
42%
$64,305
Assistant Professors
18
15%
$58,693
Instructors
9
8%
$60,232
Pros & Cons of Rock Valley College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Rock Valley 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
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Rock Valley 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rock Valley College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Rock Valley College.
Is Rock Valley College hard to get into?
Rock Valley College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Rock Valley College?
Rock Valley College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Rock Valley College cost?
The average net price after aid at Rock Valley College is $5,242 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Rock Valley College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $39,158 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,242 per year. That's roughly 7.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Rock Valley College known for?
Rock Valley College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Biological and Physical Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Rock Valley College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Rock Valley College are $39,158, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Rock Valley College accredited?
Yes. Rock Valley College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Rock Valley College?
Rock Valley College enrolls 4,359 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Rock Valley College?
Rock Valley College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Rock Valley College a public or private college?
Rock Valley College is a Public institution.
Where is Rock Valley College located?
Rock Valley College is located in Rockford, Illinois.
What programs does Rock Valley College offer?
Rock Valley College offers 29 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Biological and Physical Sciences.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Rock Valley College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Rock Valley 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
Biological and Physical Sciences
Nursing
Related Guides
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Rankings That Feature Rock Valley College
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